Beginnings
by phoebe2
Summary: Set against the backdrop of Hogwarts and, later, of War-time London, this prequel to ‘Fragments of Us’ chronicles the Marauders’ early years, changing relationships & the growing unease throughout the Wizarding world.
1. Reunions & Introductions

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 1 – Reunions & Introductions

The cacophony of sound emanating from Platform 9 ¾ could only be attributed to one thing: the return of students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. The crowd of young people and their parents filled the platform next to which stood the scarlet Hogwarts Express, its gleaming cars ready and waiting to carry its passengers back to school.

First year students were the easiest to spot – particularly those with no brothers or sisters to have ventured to Hogwarts before them. These anxious eleven year-olds huddled with their parents, casting furtive glances alternatively between the idling train and the more rambunctious students around them. Two of those more rambunctious students were careening toward the train; their trolleys, laden with their school trunks, swaying dangerously as the boys dragged them in their wake.

"Sirius, _stop_!" exclaimed the taller of the two boys, pausing and pushing his round, black-framed spectacles back in place. "We're _not late_!"

The other boy came to a stop slightly ahead of his friend. He looked over his shoulder and gave the other boy an exasperated look. "James Potter! _You're _the one who said we had to hurry!"

James grinned wickedly. "After four years of doing this, Sirius, I thought you'd have figured it out: if we want to get the _good _seats, we have to get here early!"

Sirius shook his head, his shoulder length black hair moving to partially obscure his face. He was about to respond when a sharp female voice some distance away caused him to snap his mouth closed.

"Sirius! I will _not _call you again. Come here _at once_!"

As James watched, Sirius' expression closed. "_Bollocks!"_ He muttered then turned to James. "Go ahead and grab our seats. I'll be right there." The boy then squared his shoulders and made his way over to the edge of the crowd where an elegantly dressed woman and a young, dark-haired boy were waiting.

"James!" The boy turned away from the scene and in the direction of the voice calling his name. He rolled his hazel eyes when he saw a short, heavyset boy with dark blonde hair huffing toward him. Trailing slightly behind was a tall, thin boy who carried himself carefully, the circles around his dark blue eyes giving evidence of his fatigue.

"Hey, Peter!" James greeted his friend. "Alright there, Remus?" he looked the taller boy over carefully and, at his nod, smiled warmly.

Both boys smiled warmly and fell into easy conversation about their respective summer holidays as they made their way over to the train. "Where's Sirius?" Remus asked, his eyes scanning the crowd for his missing friend. "Oh," he added, frowning. He had caught sight of the dark haired boy standing with his mother, who was currently berating her eldest son with a fair amount of enthusiasm. "What happened?" he asked James.

The other boy shrugged. "Oh, you know, the usual." James struck a pose remarkably like the haughty demeanor of Sirius' mother and mimicked her posh manner of speech, "He behaved in a manner unbecoming the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Ran off to join the crowd; mingled with the great unwashed masses of non-pure blood ingrates." With a smile that was more than a little forced, James resumed his own accent and finished, "Standard behavior, really."

Remus managed a smile. He knew that James hated the way Sirius was treated at home. The two boys became friends running for this very same train as eleven year-old first years and were now inseparable. There were few who knew better than James just how badly Sirius was treated at home. He used humor to diffuse his own bitter anger at a situation he could do nothing to change; it was this trait that Sirius valued dearly as it gave him the ally he needed without additional awkwardness. And, at fifteen years old, awkwardness was to be avoided at all costs.

"Well, as long as it's nothing new," Remus responded in kind. "Wait, here he comes. Let's not all of us wait out here for him. He'll think we've been watching the whole thing."

James nodded. "Good point, Remus. C'mon, Peter, let's get inside; Remus, you wait for him, yeah?" And with that, they disappeared.

"Hey, Remus," Sirius placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Left you alone, did they?"

Remus looked down at his friend and noted that his blue eyes were a bit brighter than normal and his face was flushed. "Said something about getting a car as far away from the Slytherins as possible."

"Ruddy good plan if you ask me," came the response. "Oi, are you alright? You do look a bit rough."

Remus nodded self-consciously. "Fine; don't worry about me, Sirius. I've handled this myself for most of my life."

Sirius scrutinized him a bit further before nodding. "I know, Remus. It's just that I wish there was some way that it could be easier for you. Look, why won't …"

Sirius observations were overridden by the piercing shriek of the train's whistle, followed by the cry of, "All aboard!" from the Conductor.

"We'd best find the others," Remus said a moment later as he mounted the steps ahead of his friend. "If we don't we'll be separated for sure."

Sirius closed his mouth and nodded, following Remus aboard the train. Some questions were sometimes better left alone, as the young wizard knew all too well.

XXXXXXXX

Once settled in their compartment, the four friends caught each other up on what had been happening over the summer. Sirius had been allowed to spend two weeks with James' family and apparently mischief had reigned supreme for his entire stay.

Peter and his mother had gone to Brighton for a month to visit his grandparents and had met a very pretty young girl while there. Amidst much backslapping and ribald commentary from his friends, Peter was forced to admit that he had, in fact, kissed the girl one starry night on the beach. Blushing furiously throughout the conversation, Peter nonetheless enjoyed the attention and grinned widely for some time after the conversation moved on to other topics.

Sirius declared that James had spent an indecent amount of time working on a plan to woo and win their elusive fellow fourth year Ms. Lily Evans. At this announcement, James threw an empty Chocolate Frog wrapper at Sirius' head and missed the target miserably. "Can't imagine how I could have missed a target _that _oversized!" the young wizard grumbled.

"Now, now, James – we all understand that you're simply distraught over your inability to make the lovely Lily your very own," Sirius put in, batting his eyes in exaggerated fashion whilst clasping his hands beneath his chin. "Your aim matches Cupid's arrow: wide of your target!"

Remus smiled at them. "You know, James, maybe you should consider a new approach. Perhaps if you ignored her, she'd miss you and come after _you _instead."

Sirius snorted loudly. "Remus, please! Leave the planning to the professionals! You date less than Peter, for the love of _Merlin_!" It was good natured teasing, Remus knew – but it was true nonetheless.

"You, on the other hand, are the Heartbreaker of Hogwarts, eh, Sirius?" Remus rejoined, laughing at the look of complete surprise on Sirius' face. "What? Just because I choose not to rise to the bait most of the time doesn't mean that I _can't_ keep pace with the two of you!"

"Yes, well, I wouldn't exactly call myself a heartbreaker, Remus. I can't help it if the silly bints follow me around now, can I?" Sirius asked when he'd found his tongue again.

"Here comes the sweet trolley," Peter interjected, his pudgy hand exploring his pocket for sickles.

Sirius thrust his hand into the pocket of his robes and said, "Keep still, Peter. I've got it, mate. What shall we all have, then?"

Everyone gave their orders and Sirius pulled James up by his sleeve. "C'mon, James. You can help me carry it all back."

As the compartment door slid closed behind them, James caught Sirius' arm. "Look," he pointed a shaky finger at the cart, a scant two feet ahead of them. "It's Lily," he whispered. And it was, indeed, the object of his unresolved affections. The petite redhead was in the process of paying for a cauldron cake as they approached. Standing beside her was a girl neither of the wizards had seen before. Slightly shorter than Lily, the young woman had long, wavy auburn hair and large brown eyes framed with dark lashes.

"Potter, Black," Lily acknowledged their presence; James' tongue affixed itself to the roof of his mouth, if the sounds coming from his face were any indication.

"Evans," Sirius responded with a smirk.

"Does it take the two of you to count out the right number of sickles for your treats?" she asked, overly sweetly. "Or are you just acting as Potter's interpreter for the afternoon?"

"Funny, Evans," Sirius handed over the money and gathered up their items, shoving some into the pockets of James' robes and the rest into his. "C'mon, James." He took the enraptured wizard by the elbow and turned him around.

"Lily," James called out as they moved away from the girls.

"Smooth, James, smooth," Sirius rolled his eyes as the two re-entered their compartment and closed the door behind them.

James and Sirius emptied their pockets out onto one of the seat cushions.

"You were gone quite awhile," Remus observed.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Evans," he replied and both Remus and Peter looked surprised.

"Did she speak to him?" Peter asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Not in any way he'd want to remember." He ripped the wrapper from a Chocolate Frog and chewed thoughtfully for a few moments before speaking again. "Remus, you and Evans are friends, yeah?"

"Yes, I guess we are. Why?"

"Have you seen her today?"

Remus nodded. "Yes. I spoke with her before Peter and I caught up with the two of you. Again, why?"

Sirius sounded nonchalant. "Oh, no reason really. I just wondered if you knew the name of the girl she's sitting with on the train."

The other boy's voice sounded too nonchalant for it to be true. Remus smiled. "Small girl with long red hair?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes, I believe she had red hair. Do you know who she is?"

"Her name is Kate Morgan. She's transferred here from the Salem Academy of Magical Studies in the States," Remus told him.

"She's an American?" Peter asked, his eyes wide. "I've never met anyone from the US."

"No, Peter. She's British, actually. Her father was American and they moved to the States when she was eleven so she could attend school in Salem, where he had studied. She was there for four years but her father died over the summer and she and her mother have come back to England," Remus explained.

"How in the world did you learn all that?" James asked.

"Lily introduced me to her and the three of us were talking while I was waiting for you. Why did you want to know, Sirius?"

"No specific reason," the handsome young wizard told him. "I just didn't recognize her."

"And she's pretty," Remus finished.

Sirius blushed a bit. "Oh, alright, Remus; yes, she's pretty."

"And she's in our year," Remus supplied, enjoying the vision of his friend shifting with discomfort in his seat.

"Yes, and…" Sirius paused and his expression changed. "…and she's in our year?"

Remus laughed out loud and nodded. "Yes, Sirius. The pretty new girl is in our year."

Sirius smiled back. "Well, then, I would say that this year is looking _very _promising!"

XXXXXXXX

When the train pulled into the station and discharged its passengers, the four friends managed to board the final carriage headed for Hogwarts. James was hoping to undo the idiotic impression he had made on Lily earlier in the day, by dazzling her with conversation during the ride to the school, but those hopes were dashed when she and the new girl climbed onto one of the other carriages.

"No worries, mate," Sirius consoled him. "Maybe you can chat her up at dinner."

Unfortunately, that was not to be. Lily chose a seat as far away from the Marauders as she could possibly get. Kate, on the other hand, was to be Sorted separate from the first years and she was sitting in a spare seat near the front of the Great Hall until such time that her House had been identified. When the Sorting began, James watched Sirius carefully. When the name, 'Black, Regulus' was called, his friend's carefully arranged expression indifference seemed to slip and he watched the routine intently. He couldn't be certain, but James thought he saw a tightening around Sirius' mouth when the Sorting Hat called out, "Slytherin!" and the rapid blinking of the boy's eyes seemed to indicate that Regulus' House assignment troubled him very much. When at last the final first year had been Sorted, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry walked to the podium in front of the High Table. He held his hands up for silence.

"Welcome, welcome to all of our new students as well as those who are returning to us for another year within these hallowed walls," he said, his voice magically magnified to fill the huge room. "Our first years have been Sorted into their Houses; but we have one final task for the Sorting Hat this year. Hogwarts is pleased to welcome Ms. Kathryn Morgan, a transfer student from the Salem Academy of Magical Studies in the United States. Not only do we welcome her to our school, but we also welcome her home, to Britain, after having spent four years in America. Ms. Morgan, if you would please step up and take a seat on the stool, we will Sort you into your new House."

Everyone watched as the petite girl did as she was asked and seated herself on the stool. Dumbledore, himself, held the Sorting Hat over her head and, after a short time, it announced, "Gryffindor!" Kate slid from the stool and walked to the space Lily had saved next to her while the Great Hall was filled with applause.

"Thank you, everyone!" Dumbledore spoke again. "and welcome, again, Ms. Morgan. Now, I know everyone has been traveling for the better part of today so I will dispense with lengthy speeches. Instead, let the feast begin!"

As the last syllable fell from his lips, the platters and serving bowls strewn across each of the five tables filled with all manner of delicious food. With no further hesitation, the students began filling their plates and soon, the noise level in the Great Hall almost rivaled that of Platform 9 ¾ earlier that day.

"Looks like Snivellous has just about as many friends this year as he had at the end of last," James observed. The others turned their gaze to the Slytherin table and the tall, thin young wizard who sat a bit away from his fellow students, reading a large textbook while he ate his dinner.

"He's not bothering us, James," Remus pointed out. "Why don't we just leave him alone?'

"I'll give him a reprieve for a few days, Remus," James said. "But I can't extend it to the whole school year; it just wouldn't be right."

Remus sighed. He wished that his friends would leave the Slytherin student alone. While he couldn't know for certain, Remus privately thought that Severus Snape probably had a harder life than any one of them realized. No stranger to hard times himself, Remus thought that leaving the other boy alone was the right thing to do. But he knew James and Sirius well enough to know that this was not possible. Peter, however, would go along with whatever James and Sirius decided to do. He always did.

Sirius spoke up. "Listen, Remus, we all know exactly what the Slytherins are all about and Severus Snape and his crony Lucius Malfoy are the worst of the lot. If they had their way, they would get rid of all the other Houses and we'd all be followers of the Dark. Don't tell me that they deserve any consideration because I won't have it!"

"Gee, Sirius," Peter piped up, lifting his head. "Why don't you tell us how you _really_ feel!"

It was so rare for the smaller boy to make any type of joke; really, it was rare for him to do anything but echo what was said by the others, that his three friends just stared at him for a second or two. Then, as one, they burst into hysterical laughter – Sirius included. James slapped Peter on the back. "Good one, Pete!" and the tense moment passed.

"May I have your attention, please?" Dumbledore's magically enhanced voice boomed over the noise in the Hall. When silence reigned once more, he continued, "The hour grows late and tomorrow you will begin your first classes of the new term. We want you to be rested and alert to soak up all the knowledge your professors will impart to you. Now that our Welcoming Feast is at an end, I would ask all Prefects to gather at the back of the Hall, opposite each of your Houses. All first years should identify the Prefect for their house once they have done so and follow them up to their respective dormitories. The rest of you, our returning students, surely know their way by now! Good night to you all and I wish you pleasant dreams!"

The four boys hung back and waited for the first years to process out of the Great Hall. As they stood watching their progress, James was craning his neck to see if he could spot Lily amongst the students remaining in the Hall.

"You're going to need Poppy Pomfrey to fix your neck at the rate you're twisting it," Sirius snorted in laughter, watching his friend.

James slapped the other boy lightly on the back of the head. "Shut it, you! I noticed _you _were watching that new girl, Kate somebody-or-other, when you thought the rest of us were too busy eating to notice you! If you're not careful, you'll be spending time in the hospital wing yourself!"

Sirius slung an arm around James' shoulders. "Don't you worry about me, Jamie boy. If Ms. Kathryn _Morgan_ isn't careful, she'll have missed her chance with the great Sirius Black!"

"Careful, Black," a feminine voice spoke from behind them. "If that head of yours gets any bigger, we'll have to use a shrinking charm to get you through the doors!"

Sirius turned to see Lily Evans standing there with her arms folded across her chest and a smirk on her face. Standing next to her was the subject of his previous comment, arms similarly folded but with a slightly curious smile playing around her mouth.

Despite a rather impressive blush, Sirius recovered quickly. Ignoring Lily's barb, he stuck his hand out in front of the new witch and favored her with what he fancied to be his most dazzling smile. "Sirius Black," he said, looking directly into her eyes.

Kate gave Lily a quick glance before clasping his hand in hers. "Kate Morgan," she replied, smiling a bit more warmly. "I'm happy to meet you."

Lily reached over and gently pried Kate's hand from Sirius' grip. "Don't rush to judgment, Kate. Give him a couple of days and I can guarantee that your 'happiness' will be cured!"

"Lily, aren't you going to introduce the rest of us to your friend?" James asked, smiling at the redhead.

"Well, forewarned is forearmed, after all," Lily said. "Kate, these are Black's friends. This one is James Potter and next to him is Peter Pettigrew." Each of the wizards shook her hand and greeted Kate in turn. "And, of course, you already know Remus."

Kate smiled at the taller wizard. "Yes, I remember you from the platform this morning. It's nice to see you again," she said quietly.

"Come, Kate," Lily said, taking the other girl's arm. "I think it's cleared out enough for us to head up to the dormitory.

Kate followed, turning to bid the boys goodnight before exiting the hall with Lily.

"She seems nice," Remus said to Sirius with a sly smile.

"Yes, she does," came the distracted reply as Sirius watched the young woman walk toward the staircase.

"Nice _and_ under the protective wing of Ms. Lily Evans," Remus added. "Good luck there, Sirius. You're going to need it!" And with that, Remus set a brisk pace toward the large double doors.


	2. The New Year Begins

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 2 – The New Year Begins

For Remus, who loved school and for whom an education was particularly critical, the first day of a new term was a wonderful and focused experience. For Sirius, however, the first day of school each fall was akin to torture. He hated being cooped up in the castle and forced to listen to lectures when the sun still shone bright and warm outdoors. He'd had enough of being confined at home to last him a lifetime.

Naturally gifted, at age 15 Sirius was already more powerful than many of his peers – and some adults. The development of his considerable raw talent began early, under the tutelage of his father, Orion. There was no care or nurturing involved in those early lessons; Orion ruled his elder son with an iron hand and was determined that Sirius would follow the family's tradition of brilliance in the Dark Arts. He was also determined that the young wizard would live up to the family motto, "Toujours Pur", an ode to their belief that only wizards and witches of pure bloodlines mattered in their world. Those of mixed blood or, Merlin forbid, _Muggles_ were not to be tolerated. Sirius, however, was to be their biggest disappointment. The heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black quickly discovered that a whole world existed beyond the dark doors of number 12 Grimmauld Place and he came to embrace it wholeheartedly. The natural enthusiasm and excessive energy that had been suppressed in him by both of his parents found an outlet at school, much to their dismay and that of his professors. The fact that he was not sorted into the House that Blacks had historically called their own, Slytherin, was almost the last straw. The fact that he was Gryffindor earned him a Howler of such proportion that breakfast had to be brought to a swift conclusion to spare the more innocent students' ears. After that dark morning, the gloves were off, as they say and Sirius' relationship with his parents worsened considerably. Time spent at home over summer holidays was nearly unbearable and Sirius' had begun spending Christmas holidays at school to eliminate duplicating that experience.

As Sirius blinked into wakefulness on this, the first day of a new school year, he was grateful to encounter only the soft snores of Peter and James rather than the shrill voice of his mother. Stretching to work out the kinks in his muscles, Sirius' thoughts turned to his brother who, to all appearances, seemed to be taking the first steps on the path originally designated as his own. Sirius sighed in frustration; he had tried so hard to convince Regulus that the philosophies espoused by their parents would only cause the boy pain. His pleas fell on deaf ears, as last night's Welcome Feast had clearly shown. Sirius was certain that his brother's Sorting would result in a far different Owl from home than his had done.

_Enough_, Sirius thought to himself. He'd tried and failed. If a realistic opportunity to speak with Regulus presented itself, he would take advantage of it. Until that time, Sirius resolved to move forward. He threw back the bedcovers and opened the burgundy hangings that closed off the bed from the rest of the room.

"'morning," Remus greeted him from the other side of the room. "You're up early; a bit unusual for you, isn't it? You're generally just a blur in the corridor in the morning."

"Ha, bloody _ha_, Remus," Sirius smiled nonetheless. "I'm for the showers. Meet you back here and we'll head down to breakfast, yeah?"

Remus nodded and dropped his head back onto his pillow after the dark-haired wizard left the room.

Thirty minutes later, both boys were downstairs in their Common Room, awaiting the appearance of James and Peter. Light laughter sounded from the stairwell of the girls' dormitory and soon the trio of Lily, Kate and Dorcas Meadows arrived on _their _way to breakfast.

"Ladies," Sirius greeted them. "Heading down to breakfast? Remus and I would be more than happy to accompany you. Ah – here's the rest of our merry little group. Now you won't have to pine away for James, Evans. We can all walk together. Ms. Morgan, may I offer you my arm?" Kate smiled and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.

"Evans?" James extended his arm to her and was rewarded with a horrified look.

"Please," she said turning away. "_My _standards are a bit higher than that, I'm afraid."

"One day soon you'll realize that you can't live without me. I can only hope I'll still be available," James called after her retreating form.

"Of course she will," Remus said as he walked past him with Dorcas, who smiled sympathetically at James before turning her attention back to Remus.

Peter and James looked around and saw that they were the only ones left in the Common Room. Shrugging, Peter offered James his arm. "Mr. Potter?" he batted his eyes.

James couldn't help but laugh at the boy's expression. "What the hell," he said and he linked his arm with Peter's and together they made their way through the Portrait hole and down the stairs to the Great Hall. The laughter was echoed from the students gathered for breakfast when the two teenaged wizards walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down with their friends.

"James, mate; I know you're devastated that Evans won't give you the time of day, but really, if people get the idea that you'd settle for Petey, you're all done!" Sirius chortled with glee at his own commentary while James scowled at him and began spooning eggs onto his plate. "Git," he muttered under his breath.

"So, Kate, are you glad to be back in Britain?" Sirius turned his attention back to the young witch seated across from him.

She nodded. "Yes, actually. America is nice and I hope to return one day, but England will always be 'home' to me. Of course, this will be home for the next few years."

"I'm glad," Sirius said, meeting her eyes.

"Are you flirting with me, Mr. Black?" Kate asked, looking directly at him.

"What if I am?" Sirius asked, a bit defensively.

Kate shrugged. "I didn't mean anything by it, Sirius. I just wanted to know. Your reputation as a heartbreaker precedes you, I'm afraid."

Sirius raised his eyebrows in surprise. "All the way to America?" He paused and shot a look over to Lily, seated next to Kate and listening closely to their exchange. "Or all the way to Platform 9 ¾?"

"Shrewd, Black. Very shrewd," Lily commented then smiled at Professor McGonagall who had arrived with their first term schedules. Taking a quick look at hers, Lily continued, "Ah, Transfiguration first then Arithmancy." Checking her watch, she rose. "I'd better be going or I'll be late."

Kate stood with her. "That's my schedule as well. I'll walk with you." With a wave to the boys, Kate left the Hall, with Sirius staring after her.

"That's becoming a familiar look for you, Sirius," James said, sliding along the bench toward his friend. "Perhaps you'll have a taste of what I go through every day."

Sirius gave his friend a disgusted look. "Not if it includes making a grand entrance to the Great Hall with another bloke, I won't! What do we have first?"

Remus looked at their schedules where they lay on the table. "Care of Magical Creatures, then Astrology. After lunch, we have Potions with Slytherin and Ancient Runes."

James grinned widely. "Evans has Potions and Ancient Runes this afternoon!" At Peter's curious look, he shrugged. "Saw her schedule when she put it down."

"Come on, let's go before _we're _late," Remus said and the four friends took off for their first class, unaware of the watchful gaze of Sirius' younger brother from his seat at the Slytherin table.

The morning passed uneventfully and the Marauders trouped to the Great Hall for lunch, none of them particularly looking forward to Potions with Slytherin House. Lily, Kate, Dorcas and a few of the other girls from their year had taken up a spot at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table, eliminating the opportunity for additional conversation. Although Sirius was disappointed not to have had additional opportunity to torture James about Lily, it did force them to focus on their food and, immediately afterward, head to the dungeons for their Potions class.

Professor Slughorn was standing at the head of the classroom writing notes for their assignment on the chalkboard. Sirius and James took seats together, as was their custom; Peter and Remus sat directly behind them. Lily and Kate partnered on the other side of the room; James was less than amused until he realized that he had a clear line of vision to the object of his affections. His mood improved dramatically with this realization.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to 5th year Potions. Today, we will discuss what we hope to accomplish this year and will assign partners for the remainder of the term. I've decided to shake things up a bit, as it were, in an attempt to expose you to different skill levels amongst your peers."

James and Sirius exchanged apprehensive looks before returning their eyes to the front of the room. They could hear Peter shuffling nervously behind them. Remus had been Peter's Potions partner since their first year and it was due to his patient diligence that Peter managed an "Acceptable" grade in the subject during that time.

"Ah, yes; let us see. To begin, Mr. Potter, you will partner with Ms. Meadows; Mr. Longbottom, you will partner with Mr. Pettigrew. Mr. Black, please take your seat with Ms. Morgan; Mr. Lupin, you will be with Ms. Sodergren; Mr. Snape, please sit with your partner, Ms. Evans," Slughorn continued down the list of students but the Marauders heard nothing after the pairing of Severus Snape and Lily Evans, so stunned were they at the change. After all the changes were announced, the students packed up their belongings and found their way over to their new seats.

"I'll try not to flirt too shamelessly," Sirius whispered to Kate as she unpacked her parchment, quill and ink from her book bag, dropping her a sly wink when she looked over at him.

"Don't hurt yourself," she responded, dryly.

Sirius raised his eyebrows at her. "Well, well, well, Morgan; I didn't think you had it in you."

"You'd be surprised what I'm capable of, Black," she replied. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to listen to Professor Slughorn."

Sirius grinned and took out his own supplies; when Slughorn began delivering his lecture, they were both taking notes.

XXXXXXXX

The boys climbed through the portrait hole at the end of the day, three of them wearing identical looks of displeasure. Ancient Runes had proved to be as boring as it was rumored to be, despite the presence of Lily and Kate. Add to the boredom the outrage caused by Slughorn's surprise shake-up earlier in the day and tempers were running a bit on the high side.

"I can't believe that Slug put Lily with that greasy git," James fumed.

"Really, James, it's only for one term and it's just one class. Lily and Snape are very similar in their skill levels; it would make sense that they be paired. They will challenge each other. Last year, Lily paired with Alice and wasn't particularly challenged," Remus reasoned. "Lily told McGonagall that she wasn't learning as much as she could; McGonagall must have spoken to Slughorn about making the assignments this year rather than allowing us to choose our own partners."

James threw himself onto the overstuffed couch in front of the fire – well-established Marauder territory. Sirius joined him while Remus chose "his" big burgundy chair and Peter settled on a huge floor cushion at their feet. "How's partnering with Sodergren, Remus?"

"She knows what she's doing; she just needs to develop her confidence," Remus replied. He checked his watch. "Listen, I'm heading to the library to work on that Ancient Runes assignment. I'll meet you in the Hall for dinner."

The three boys watched their friend walk through the portrait hole and, when it had closed behind him, James spoke. "We've got to get moving on the Animagus project; did you guys see Remus yesterday at the train?"

Sirius' face hardened. "Yeah, he looked like he hadn't slept in a week."

Peter nodded. "And he was limping again. I think he must have hurt his knee again this time."

James looked them. "It's getting worse. We know what we're doing with the spell; over the summer, I did some research in Dad's library and I think I found out what we did wrong with the potion last time."

"Can you make sure we don't have to spend three days in the hospital wing with the new potion?" Sirius asked.

"My mum was pretty angry," Peter said, his beady eyes glancing between the other two boys nervously.

Sirius laughed darkly. "So was mine, Petey," he said grimly. "Now, if I'd actually _died_, she might have felt a wee bit better about it."

James shook his head. "Sirius, you really should…"

"Jamie, let it go. Please. They hate me; I hate them. It's a mutually satisfying relationship," Sirius interrupted his friend. "Let's talk about something else. Let's talk about when we can start the revised potion so we can really help Remus, yes?"

James reluctantly agreed, but made a note to revisit the topic of life at Grimmauld Place when the opportunity next presented itself.

The boys sat with their heads together until it was time to meet Remus for dinner. Having resolved the matter of ingredients (Slughorn's storeroom) and location (Room of Requirement) for their brewing, they turned to the topic of when they would make their next attempt. After much thought, Sirius remembered that Remus had Muggle Studies as his last class the following day; James, Sirius and Peter had passed on this course bringing their day to a close after History of Magic. Since Remus would be occupied until late afternoon, they resolved to head to the Room of Requirement once Remus was safely on his way to his last class. That settled, the boys headed to the Great Hall and dinner with their friend.

XXXXXXXX

Dinner passed uneventfully and the boys trouped back to the Common Room upon its conclusion. Settling into their usual seats, Remus and Peter immediately became engrossed in a game of Wizard's Chess. James and Sirius sat on the couch where they could observe Lily and her friends on the other side of the room.

"First Hogsmeade weekend coming up," James commented, watching the attractive redhead talking animatedly with the group of girls.

"So I hear," Sirius replied. "Going to ask Evans to go with you?"

"I don't know, Sirius. I keep asking. She keeps turning me down. Doesn't seem to be much of a future in it, does there?" James asked.

"Maybe not; then again, there's always the chance that you'll wear her down," Sirius shrugged.

"True," James agreed. "There doesn't seem to be anyone else around her."

Sirius couldn't resist. "Well, I suppose Snape could always ask her. After all, they're partners in Potions." He never saw James' punch until it hit his shoulder. Snickering, Sirius said, "What? I'm just saying…"

"Oh, just _piss off_!" James huffed. "Are you going to ask Morgan? You seem to have gotten pretty chummy with her in the past 24 hours."

"I'm not _'chummy'_ with her; she's just another bird in our year." Sirius shrugged again.

"Then you won't care that Gideon Prewett's over there chatting her up," James stated lifting his chin in the direction where Kate was sitting.

Despite his earlier bravado, Sirius' head shot up and he looked over at Kate. Sure enough, there sat Gideon Prewett, right next to Kate, who looked like she was enjoying his company. Sirius swallowed. "No, I don't care. Stupid wanker. If she likes him, then let her go to Hogsmeade with him."

"And you'll be fine with it," James said.

"Hell, yeah! I'll ask Diana Rothschild," Sirius asserted, sitting up straight and looking around the room. He finally located the object of his invitation and sauntered over to ask her to join him at the weekend. With a smile and a wink, the deed was done.

"There, I'm all set. Now, you ask Evans," Sirius said when he'd flopped back down on the couch next to James.

"I think I'll wait until tomorrow morning and ask her then," James decided. "Do it just after breakfast, while she's collecting her things."

Remus smiled. "Catch her while she's preoccupied, eh, James? Not a bad plan, that."

James scowled at him. "I don't see _you_ asking anyone, Remus."

"That's because I already asked and was accepted," he replied, rising and gathering his belongings.

There was a surge of sound from his friends as they all spoke up at once, "Who?" "Remus, get back here!" "Come on, Remus, give over!"

Sirius spoke up, "Oi, Remus, just tell us, mate. We all know – it's Meadows, right? I mean, who else _would _it be?"

Remus paused at the foot of the stairs and turned back to his friends. "No, it's _not _Dorcas, Sirius."

"Well, then who is it?" the dark haired wizard asked, smirking at his friend.

Remus smiled back at him. "Kate. 'Night."


	3. Packmates & Redheads

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 3 – Packmates & Redheads

"C'mon, Peter, drink up!" James encouraged the boy, who was looking doubtfully at the goblet on the table.

"Why do I have to go first?" Peter asked, something akin to defiance coloring his tone.

Sirius spoke up from his lounging position on the top of the counter space. "Because, Petey, if _you _sick up or, worse, actually _die_, then we'll know James has to go back to the drawing board on the potion!"

Peter's eyes grew even larger in his face. "So, wouldn't we know the same thing if _you _drank it first and … something happened?"

Sirius pretended to consider the issue for a moment. "Well, technically, _yes_, but who'd have the bits to go to Slughorn's stores for more ingredients? James has to brew; you know you're _pants _at it and you didn't want to go with me to get the ingredients, so … I think the choice is clear, really."

Peter looked at Sirius for a moment or two, then shrugged and said, "Well, I suppose you can't argue with that." And having spoken, he brought the goblet to his lips, tipped his head back and drank the brew in a single draught.

"Ugh, disgusting!" he exclaimed a moment later, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

James ladled another serving into a second goblet and gestured to Sirius. "Your turn, mate," he said, smiling. "Petey's still standing with nothing more than a sour taste in his mouth. C'mon – the sooner we knock it back, the closer we are to trying the charm again."

Sirius took the goblet from his friend. "Together, then. Pour yours and we'll drink on a count of three."

James complied and, raising his goblet to Sirius and Peter said, "Cheers!"

Both remaining wizards drank their potion and slammed their goblets back on the counter noisily.

"_Merlin_, Jamie, that shite's _foul_!" Sirius cursed lustily. "It had _better _work. I'm not sure my stomach can take too many more experiments."

James waved his hand dismissively as he turned the pages of the spell book until he found the section he was looking for. "If you'll remember, we were all sick by now with the last potion. We had great, itchy red spots and stomach pains. How do you feel right now?" He looked up at his friends.

Sirius' eyes crinkled at the corners as a slow smile crossed his face. "Never better. You?" he directed the last comment at Peter, who returned his smile. "Feeling fine."

James grinned. "I'd say we've finally got the potion piece down, gentlemen!"

"_You_ got the potion piece down, Jamie," Sirius corrected. "Nice work, mate."

James' cheeks turned red. "We all did our part," he mumbled. He scanned the page in front of him. "Ok, boys, now we wait 24 hours for the potion to establish itself in our systems. Then, we try the charm again. This time…"

Sirius put his hand up. "Don't! You'll jinx it!"

Peter looked quizzically at James. "Tell me again how this works, James. Do we have to take the potion every time we try the incantation for the charm?"

James shook his head. "No, Pete," he explained, his voice patient, as he scanned the page for all the correct information. "We take the potion to introduce the shape-shifting into our systems. The properties take hold in our blood and bones and, over a 24-hour period, a new magical element forms in preparation for our first transformation. Once we've successfully transformed for the first time, our Animagus forms are established and reside with us always. We can always transform after that time and we do it without ever taking the potion again."

"Brilliant, James," Sirius said, admiringly. "And – what a stroke of luck in never having to drink that vile stuff again!"

"So, shall we head back to the tower and see if Remus has come back from class yet?" James asked, gathering up his book and shoving it into his book bag.

Sirius shrugged back into his robes. "Let's go."

As they headed to the door of the Room of Requirement, Peter spoke up. "When do you think we can tell Remus?"

Sirius answered. "Not until we've successfully transformed, Pete. We want to be able to _show _him that we're safe with the wolf; that he can't possibly hurt us when he's in wolf form. You know that Remus won't settle for us _telling _him; we have to show him. Once we know we can do this – every time we try – we can tell him. There's no point in telling him something that's not entirely right. It would be getting his hopes up only to dash them."

XXXXXXXX

"And what mischief did the three of you get up to without me today?" Remus asked over dinner later that day.

"Oh, not much," Sirius responded, buttering a dinner roll. "Actually, we took advantage of the time you were in class to study up a bit on our potions." He stuffed half a roll into his mouth and chewed for a moment. "Industrious, weren't we?"

"Why do I think there's more to this than meets the eye?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"You weren't putting together some prank against Snape were you?"

James choked on his pumpkin juice. "How could you think we'd do that?"

"Yeah," Peter piped up, innocently. "He's better at potions than we are!"

The other three Marauders looked at Peter, then at each other and burst into peals of laughter.

"What?" Peter asked them. "He is, isn't he?" When his friends were incapable of responding due to a fresh wave of hysteria, the smaller boy shook his head as he spooned pudding onto his plate. "Nutters," he said under his breath.

XXXXXXXX

Twenty-four hours later found the quartet in Charms which disallowed three of the four boys the opportunity to do that which they wanted most: attempt the Animagus transformation. They listened to Professor Binns drone on about the Goblin Rebellions until they thought they'd go mad with it. Finally, class was over. Giving Remus a quickly uttered and totally lame excuse, Peter, James and Sirius tore out of the classroom like hares before hounds. Soon, they found themselves inside the Room of Requirement. They tossed their book bags in a corner and quickly divested themselves of their robes. Standing in trousers and their school shirts, each boy withdrew his wand and then simply stood in place.

"Well?" James said tentatively. "Who's first?"

Sirius waited a moment then snorted disgustedly. "Oh, I'll do it. Stand aside," he said. As the other two boys watched, the raven haired wizard closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, he began to murmur the words to the ancient transformation spell. Nothing happened for several moments. Sirius continued to breathe deeply, eyes closed. Then, he began to feel it. His skin prickled from the inside as if there was something trying to push itself outward. It didn't hurt; the feeling was odder than anything else. He opened his eyes and, as he looked at his friends, the color began to fade from the image, his vision replaced with shades of gray. Things began happening more quickly then and soon, James and Peter were looking at him in delighted awe. In place of the boy was a large, black dog with long, silky fur and bright blue eyes. His tail wagged enthusiastically from side to side and his long, pink tongue lolled out of one side of his mouth.

"Sirius! You did it!" James cried out happily. "Change back, now."

Sirius thought of his human form and, more quickly than the initial transformation, he returned to himself. He sat down swiftly on the sofa behind him, a bit dizzy. A moment later, however, he was fine and his face was split by a huge grin. "Blimey, that was _brilliant_! Ok, you two – who's next?"

James closed his eyes and, moments later, a great stag stood before them. A few minutes later, James was back to normal and was greeted by excited applause from both of his friends. "Oi, James," Sirius laughed. "If Evans never comes round on her own, you can scoop her up in those great antlers of yours and carry her away somewhere to convince her!" James turned red and threw a fake punch in Sirius' direction.

Peter was last and, in the end, was somewhat disappointed that his Animagus form was not a nobler creature. He was mollified, however, when Sirius pointed out that his Animagus could easily suspend the animation of the Whomping Willow, which guarded the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack. This would allow the trio to access the Shack – and Remus – undetected. Without Peter, they would be unable to achieve it.

"Now, we show Remus?" Peter asked, smiling. They had each transformed – and returned to their normal shapes – several times and were ready to call it a day.

"Let's head up to the dormitory and see if he's there. If so, we should head somewhere outside of the school to show him. It's still light out, I'll bet. Want to do it before dinner?" Sirius asked the other two. At their nods, the boys took off full tilt for Gryffindor Tower and their friend.

XXXXXXXX

The three burst into the dormitory, startling Remus who was, predictably, lying on his bed, engrossed in a book.

"Grab your cloak, Remus," James instructed him. "We're going outside for a bit."

Remus looked at his friend as if he had nifflers coming out of his nose. "What in Merlin's name are you nattering on about, James? It's cold. The sun will be setting shortly. Why would I want to go outside?"

Sirius jumped on Remus' bed and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Because we've got something to show you, mate; something we've been working on for the better part of two years. We're not about to wait any longer, so let's get moving!"

Remus gave the excited wizard a look that clearly conveyed his belief that they'd all gone round the twist. He did, however, 'get moving' for fear that another of his friends would launch himself at his head.

Soon, with the help of James' Invisibility Cloak, the four boys had made their way through the school and out onto the grounds. Carefully avoiding any students wandering about, they virtually _marched_ down the slope toward the Black Lake and only stopped when they were shielded by a copse of trees at one edge.

Remus threw off the cloak and turned in the direction his friends _should_ have been standing. As the others emerged from invisibility, they saw him standing, hands on his hips, looking at them sternly. "Well? I've gotten moving, donned my cloak and traveled here – in the chill – with you lot. _What _have you got to show me?"

The other three boys looked at each other and smiled. Sirius stepped forward.

"Remus, what is the best present a boy could receive?"

Remus' brows drew together. "A girl?"

"Hard to argue with _that_ one, Sirius," James chortled, leaning against Peter to remain upright.

Sirius shot his friend a withering look, and then turned back to Remus. "Alright, Remus, I'll give you that one. BUT, what is the best present a boy could get _before _he realizes that girls aren't disgusting?"

Remus was clearly still confused. "Chocolate?"

Sirius stared at him incredulously. "Choc….? For the love of _Merlin_, NO!"

"Maybe you should just show him, Sirius," Peter put in.

"Apparently, I'll have to," Sirius huffed. "Watch," he instructed Remus, closing his eyes and willing the transformation to occur.

It took far less time – seconds really – for the transformation to be complete. When it was over, the great black dog opened its eyes and looked at the face of the young wizard before him. Remus' jaw had dropped and, even in his monochromatic view, Sirius could see that his face was completely devoid of color. Remus sat down hard on the rock that was conveniently behind him and just stared at the dog. Concerned, Sirius trotted the short distance to his friend and butted his hand with his cold, black nose. When Remus remained silent, Sirius sat down in front of him and barked sharply – once, then again. That did it. Remus lifted his hand and cautiously placed it on the top of the dog's silky head.

"Sirius?" he whispered, his voice shaky.

Sirius barked once in response, his tail wagging so furiously it cleared the leaves on which it had rested.

Remus brought his hand back and closed his eyes. "Brilliant," he murmured.

"Yes, I am," Sirius agreed, now back in his own form.

Remus' eyes snapped open and he stared at his friend. His mouth continued to move, but nothing came out.

"Remus? Are you alright?" Sirius asked, concerned.

The other boy nodded, his eyes bright.

"That's good, mate, because there's more." Sirius squeezed onto the rock with Remus and called over to James and Peter. "Show him the rest, you two."

Peter took a step forward and, moments later, a chubby gray rat with twitching whiskers and watery black eyes stood in his place. Remus smiled as Peter watched him. Then, a third ripple of magic permeated the air and Remus' focus turned to James; only, it wasn't _James_ any longer. In his place stood a majestic, deep brown stag with soft hazel eyes and an impressive set of antlers. In his Animagus form, James pawed the ground anxiously and, a moment later, Peter had climbed up onto his back and sat there watching the other wizards.

Remus truly was flabbergasted.

Sirius looked at his friend and loped his arm across Remus' shoulders. "Remember when we confronted you about your 'furry little problem'?" At the other boy's nod, he continued. "Well, we decided that we hated seeing you all bloody and exhausted the next day. We _hate_ what the wolf does to you every full moon, Remus. We knew we couldn't do anything to help you as ourselves. Contrary to what you might have believed at the time, we _weren't _stupid enough to think that the wolf would recognize us as friends – in our human form. So, we did a little research – and you thought you'd been no influence on us at all! What we found out is that werewolves _cannot _turn anything not in human form. That's when we decided that we'd become Animagi. We're your pack, Remus. A little unconventional, I'll grant you – but your pack nonetheless!"

Remus just stared at the boys in front of him. "I don't know what to say," he finally managed. "I've never had anyone do … I mean, my parents have tried to make things … but, nothing like this. I just never imagined that …," he finally gave up as tears began to fall and he dropped his head to try to hide them.

Peter and James shifted uncomfortably on their feet, but Sirius refused to let Remus deal with his emotions in this way. He rose and faced the werewolf and put his hand under Remus' chin, lifting until the other boy met his gaze. "You don't have to try to imagine anything, Remus. We don't give a rap that you're a werewolf; you're a wizard, Remus. More importantly, you're our friend. Always. No matter what. We're the Marauders, Remus. We stand together." And, with that, Sirius put his arms around Remus and hugged him tightly. "_No matter what_," he said again. The other boys came up to them and slung their arms over Remus' shoulders. They stood there for a few moments longer before stepping backward to allow Remus a few moments to compose himself. As he did so, scrubbing his face on the sleeve of his cloak, Sirius decided that the moment needed a bit of levity to bring things back to normal.

"Oi, Remus, did you get a load of the rack on old Jamie? I told him that if Evans didn't fall madly in love with him soon, he'd be able to hoist her onto those bloody _prongs_ of his and carry her away until he could convince her!" Sirius doubled over laughing as he relayed his earlier commentary to his friend.

"Hey, Sirius, that's what we should call him – the stag, I mean – "_Prongs_"," Peter said, excitedly. "We can't talk about "the stag" around other people, after all; we need some sort of code names, right? Well, James can be 'Prongs'!" The smaller boy looked quite satisfied with himself, particularly when a grinning Sirius nodded enthusiastically.

"Excellent, Pete! 'Code names' are _brilliant_!" he said. "What to call you, though. 'Rat Boy' is a bit rude, I'd say. What can we…?" Sirius paced in front of the others, wracking his brain for the right moniker for the other boy.

"Wormtail," James said, suddenly. "We can call you 'Wormtail'."

Peter frowned. "That's not exactly very dignified, you know," he grumbled.

"Pete, your Animagus form is a _rat_. How dignified is _that_?!" Sirius retorted.

The smaller boy thought about it for a few moments, and then his expression relaxed. "Could be worse, I suppose. Could be 'Whiskers'!" he smiled when Remus laughed.

"Or 'Cheesy'," Sirius put in, slinging an arm over Peter's shoulders.

"What about Sirius," Peter asked, looking at James and Remus.

James scratched his chin, considering the question. "Well, there's always 'Spot' or 'Rover'," he cast a sidelong glance at Sirius, who was now standing at his full height, arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his face.

"Oi, James, that's not cricket! Put some _real _thought into it, man!" he said, indignantly.

"He's right, James," Peter said. "Our names each refer to some physical characteristic of our Animagus forms. Shouldn't we come up with something like that for Sirius'?"

James smiled. "Yes, of course we should. Let's see … a physical characteristic for Sirius … I've _got _it! Oh, wait … I'm not sure. Sirius, you probably wouldn't answer to '_Bollocks_', would you?"

"Oh, funny, James; _very_ funny! And to think I call you my friend!" Sirius said, irritated.

"Padfoot," Remus offered.

"'_Padfoot'_?" Sirius asked. "How in Merlin's name did you come up with _that_?"

Remus smiled. "You're always padding around in your socks in the dorm and in the Common Room and, next time you transform, take a look at your paws: they're padded. _Pad-foot_: Padfoot!" He watched Sirius' face. "What do you think?"

Sirius thought for several minutes then gave the werewolf a smile. "I like it. _Padfoot_. Has a certain style about it, doesn't it?"

"Dear Merlin, Remus, did you have to give him anything _else _to be conceited about? Isn't he bad enough _already_?" James chuckled, as Sirius swatted the back of his head.

"Oi, what about Remus?" Peter piped up. "Shouldn't _he _have a code name, too?"

The boys stopped at that.

"He's right, Remus," James said. "More than any of us, _you _should have a code name. I mean, what we've done – becoming Animagi – is one thing. We need to keep that a secret because we won't register ourselves; we'll be outside the Ministry law on that one. You, on the other hand, well … it's even more critical that no one finds out about you."

"Physical characteristics, yeah?" Sirius commented. "Well, 'Fang' is just plain cruel and, of course, Padfoot is taken now." He thought for a moment. "I know: Moony. We'll call you '_Moony'_, Remus. What do you think?"

"Better than 'Fang'," Peter put in, adding, "_Honestly_, Sirius!"

But Remus wasn't offended. The good natured humor and teasing meant that he was accepted – something that he hadn't been – wasn't in very many places. These boys made him able to see himself as something other than a monster. These boys – his best friends – allowed him to recognize the humanity in himself and that gave him hope – the second best gift he could have been given after their friendship.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," Remus said aloud. "Marauders. Friends. Brothers."

"Forever!" chorused the other three.

A loud rumble broke the moment and Peter turned red as the others turned his way. "Can't help it," he mumbled. "'s just about dinnertime, isn't it?"

Their laughter carrying along on the late afternoon air, the four friends made their way up to the castle, side by side, bonded together by more than schoolboy friendships. These were true comrades.

XXXXXXXX

Lily and Kate had their heads together over their Divination assignment when the boys plowed through the portrait hole and made their raucous way to the dormitory stairs.

"You four sound like a herd of Hippogriffs," Lily called over to them, shaking her head. "You know, people actually try to study in this room."

Sirius looked at James, then back at Lily. He shook his head slowly. "Sad thing, really. To be so addled by your schoolwork that you confuse the Common Room with the Library. The latter being the _proper_ setting for studying," he finished, grinning at the redhead. "The _Common Room_, however, is for …"

"The _common_ element to avoid studying, plan pranks and generally create mischief?" Kate finished, her tone innocent, her eyes wide.

Sirius regarded her silently for a moment. "Morgan, you wouldn't know a good prank if it sat up and bit you on the ar…"

"I think it's time to wash up for dinner," Remus interrupted, putting his hands on the other boy's shoulders and steering him up the stairs. "Ladies…."

"But, Remus, we can't let that bluestocking get away with that. Talking about mischief as if it was some sort of sin…." Sirius' voice fell away as they ascended the staircase and, a moment later, the young witches heard a door slam above them, indicating that the four boys had reached their room.

"Honestly, Kate, I don't know why you bother," Lily said, turning her attention back to her notes. "Just let them be; ignore them and they'll go away."

Kate shook her head. "Doesn't seem to work with James Potter, though, does it? No matter how hard or how often you knock him down, the boy still manages to get right back up on his feet and come after you again. There's something to be said for perseverance, I suppose," she finished.

"Yes, well, I can't help that he's too thick to get the message," Lily groused.

"Oh, I don't know. I think he's rather sweet, even though he can be terribly obtuse sometimes," Kate smiled. "He likes you, Lils; I think he likes you very much, indeed."

"Oh, what do _you _know?" Lily retorted exasperated with her friend. "He doesn't even speak to me in full sentences."

"Lily Evans! Did you ever bother to stop and think why that might be?" Kate asked. "He's nervous around you; he doesn't _know _how to talk to you. You spend so much time shooting him down; he probably figures you'll never give him enough time to speak in full sentences!"

"Kate, whose side are you on?" Lily demanded. "He's arrogant, conceited and he treats me like just another notch in his belt!"

"'_Another notch in his belt_?'", Kate repeated. "Lily, he's fifteen years old! He doesn't _have _notches! You said it yourself: he's never been seen with any other girl. I don't think he sees you as his _next _conquest; I think he looks at you as the _only _'conquest' he wants! Even at fifteen years old!"

Lily looked at Kate but said nothing for quite some time. Finally, she turned back to her parchment. "Come on, Kate, let's finish up here and go downstairs to dinner, ok?"

"Lily, I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said any…" Kate began, but was interrupted when Lily reached over and patted her hand gently.

"No, Kate, it's ok. Really. I'm not offended. Maybe you gave me something to think about. Oh, he's still an arrogant prat, mind you; I'm not changing my mind about _everything_. Just…oh, never mind. Let's just finish this _stupid_ Divination chart, ok?"

Kate smiled. "Ok, Lily."


	4. Hogsmeade Surprises

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 4 – Hogsmeade Surprises

Saturday morning dawned clear and crisp, the kind of chilly weather synonymous with the first Hogsmeade visit of the school year. The boys awakened early and hit the showers, making certain that they were ready for their dates…well, Sirius and Remus were so motivated. James had asked Lily ("Oi, Evans! You, me – a little trip to Hogsmeade this Saturday. Strike your fancy?"). Needless to say, he had suffered yet another rejection and had less than no interest in hearing Remus' suggestion that his manner of invitation might have been to blame. So, both dateless, Peter and James were planning to slip into Hogsmeade, visit Honeyduke's and Zonko's and head back to the school to await the return of their friends.

As they were dressing, Sirius turned to Remus and asked the question that had been bothering him for several days. "Hey, Moony? Why did you ask Kate to Hogsmeade today?"

Remus glanced over at his friend, who was busy lacing up his boots. "I didn't ask Kate, Padfoot," he replied, quietly.

"That's ridiculous!" Sirius sat up and turned toward his friend. "You're going with her; that didn't just happen."

"_She _asked _me_," Remus responded, smiling gently. "Sirius, if I'd known for a moment that you were interested in her, I would never have accepted. Kate and I have become friends, Padfoot. We've studied together. I like her very much - but as a friend. I have no romantic interest in Kate at all."

Sirius sighed. "But she must have feelings for you if she asked you to go with her," Sirius reasoned.

Remus shook his head. "I don't think so, Padfoot. She said she asked me because she wanted to go with a friend; she didn't want to deal with all the nonsense that goes with it, she said."

"Oh, well then," Sirius said, his expression lightening. "Can't blame her for that, I guess. That's why I asked Diana," he said, pulling his jumper on over his head.

"Oh?" Remus asked. "I thought it was because you had no interest in Kate. After all, she's 'just another bird in our year', right? Isn't that what you said?"

Sirius frowned at the werewolf. "Why do you have to remember _everything_ I say?"

Remus smiled. "Want to double? I'm sure Kate wouldn't mind if there were four of us wandering around Hogsmeade."

Sirius thought about it for a moment. "Are you certain she wouldn't mind? I don't want to ruin her first trip to Hogsmeade, Remus." His expression was most sincere.

"I don't think you will, Padfoot. But, if you'd like, I can ask her," Remus offered.

Sirius nodded. "Please. If she's ok with it, then I'm game, too."

Remus spoke with Kate over breakfast and, as he predicted, she was fine with the idea. In the end, there were several more 5th years who joined them and, when the students were finally assembled in the school's courtyard, there were no fewer than a dozen people in their group.

Kate and Remus walked together, chatting all the way. Remus was considerably taller than the petite young woman and Sirius watched him incline his head toward her on several occasions as if to more clearly hear what she had to say.

At least Remus looked interested and entertained. The same could not be said for Sirius. The lovely Diane was extremely well versed in fashion, social status and events and the minutiae of romantic entanglements at Hogwarts. Sirius knew this because the young witch chattered nonstop about all of these topics on the road to the small village. Regrettably, these three subjects were _not _of interest to Sirius. Unfortunately for Diana, he did not suffer fools gladly and, despite her considerable … _charms_, Sirius could not bring himself to pay anything more than cursory attention to anything that she said. Unfortunately for _him_, this fact wasn't lost on Diana. They weren't even in the village before she had rounded on him and told him that he shouldn't have asked her to go with him to Hogsmeade if he wasn't going to pay any attention to her. His response that he wouldn't have asked her to go if he'd realized that she just wanted to yak his ear off about things that held no interest for him. With a huff, Diana stalked away from him and, as Sirius continued to follow the others down the road, he noted that she had fallen in with a handsome 5th year Ravenclaw. By the time they reached the entrance to the village, they were holding hands. Sirius snorted. _Good riddance_, he thought. She wasn't whom he wanted to be with anyway.

Sirius fell in with Remus and Kate, an easier arrangement knowing that they were not a couple. He was careful, however, not to intrude on conversations between the two of them. Although they did not intentionally exclude him, Sirius' respect for their friendship and their mutual interests resulted in Sirius being on his own quite a bit. That James and Peter chose a "quick in/quick out" philosophy about this trip didn't help matters. Sirius was _not _a solitary creature by nature; his upbringing had seen to that. Solitude was just one of the weapons in his parents' arsenal and it was often used against their rebellious elder son.

Sirius wandered into one or two shops, purchasing a supply of various sweets at Honeydukes and some ink and parchment at the stationers'. He was standing in front of Quality Quidditch Supply's display window when he felt a light tap on his arm. Turning, he found himself looking into Kate's brown eyes.

"Hello," she said, smiling up at him.

"Hi," he returned her smile then glanced around them. "Where's Remus?"

"Across the street at Flourish & Blott's," Kate said. "I love books, but there's a limit to the amount of time I can spend looking at them." She chuckled. "I happened to glance out the window and saw you standing here."

"So you came over because you felt sorry for me?" Sirius bristled.

"No, that's _not_ why I'm here; why would you think so?"

"Oh, I don't know, Morgan. Maybe because I got dumped by my date?" Sirius replied, watching her face to gauge her reaction.

"Actually, I feel rather sorry for _her_," Kate said, noting with satisfaction the surprise on his face. "Do you have any idea how boring Reginald Fletchley is? She'll soon regret her choice, I can tell you." Kate smiled mischievously.

Sirius continued to regard her for a moment then threw his head back and roared with laughter. "She would have done better staying with me, then, eh?"

"Mmm," Kate replied. "But I think you're better off without her. Besides, if she had stayed with you, how would I have learned all about Quidditch?"

Sirius looked at her, shock evident on his face. "You care about Quidditch?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know enough about it to know yet. But, you're on the Gryffindor team, right?"

Sirius nodded, still stunned to be discussing Quidditch with a _girl _who wasn't a member of any of the House teams.

"Well, then, it would seem that you could explain the game to me, wouldn't it?" Kate asked. "Really, Black, it's not that hard to understand me, is it? I'm not speaking _Goblin_, am I?" she asked him, hands on hips.

"Why do you want to learn about Quidditch?" Sirius' eyes narrowed.

Kate sighed. "Nothing should be this difficult," she muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, umm, nothing," Kate said, coloring slightly. "Listen, I'm entering a new school as part of an established 5th year class. I would _like _to fit in and make some friends. Quidditch is very popular here. We didn't have it in Salem. You're on a team; you can teach me what I need to know so I don't act like an ignorant fool at the games. Get it now?"

"You didn't have _Quidditch_ at your old school?" It was Sirius' turn to favor her with a pitying look.

Kate shook her head.

"Well, then, let's step inside," Sirius took her elbow and propelled her up the steps to the Quidditch shop. "I consider it my duty as an honorable British wizard to correct this gap in your formal education!"

Kate smiled and allowed him to lead her into the store.

Across the street, at Flourish & Blott's, Remus observed the scene from the front window and smiled. "Bravo, Kate!" he murmured and turned his attention back to the sale table.

XXXXXXXX

Kate left the Quidditch shop knowing more about the game than she ever wanted to know. Sirius was still extolling the virtues of Chasers (vs Beaters) when they met up with Remus in front of Madam Rosmerta's pub.

"Remus!" Kate greeted him enthusiastically.

"Hello, Kate; Sirius," Remus replied. "Where have you two been keeping yourselves?"

"Morgan here had a yearning to know all about Quidditch" Sirius beamed at his friend.

Remus glanced at Kate, who crossed here eyes at him. Remus fought to keep a straight face.

"And did Sirius tell you everything?" Remus asked.

"And so much more!" came the smiling reply.

"She didn't write anything down, though, so I'll probably have to remind her of some points," Sirius said, winking at the werewolf.

"I could use a sit down," Kate told them, gesturing toward the pub's door.

"Me, too," Sirius said, opening the door for Kate and Remus to enter ahead of him.

As Remus passed Sirius put his hand on the boy's arm to detain him. "Why did I wind up teaching a Quidditch lesson?" Sirius asked.

"Tell you later," Remus whispered back.

Sirius frowned and Remus squeezed his shoulder. "It's nothing bad, Padfoot. I promise."

Sirius nodded, his expression relaxing a bit.

"Hey, you two; are you going to leave me standing here all alone?" Kate asked. "Because I see a cute Slytherin over in the corner and he's all alone…"

Sirius rushed past Remus and took Kate's arm. He scanned the room quickly and his eyes alighted on a group of students preparing to leave a booth in the back. "Let's go," and he tugged Kate forward with him, arriving just head of a group of Hufflepuff students.

"Slide in," Sirius said to Kate, nudging her lightly with his elbow. Once she was settled, Sirius slid in next to her while Remus occupied the bench on the other side of the heavy wooden table.

"Have you ever had butterbeer, Kate?" Remus asked.

"No, I can't say that I have," she replied.

Sirius smiled. "You're in for a treat, then," he said, rising. "I've got it, Remus. Stay put."

Kate watched Sirius go up to the bar and noted that several young witches in the pub closely monitored his progress.

"He always attracts attention," Remus said, noting Kate's expression.

"So it would seem," she said wryly.

"Shall I quiz you on your Quidditch knowledge?"

Kate smiled. "That's ok, but thanks."

"You did very well listening as long as you did," Remus observed.

"Mmm. I _would _like to do what you suggested. Get to know him first hand instead of listening exclusively to what other people say about him. You were right, that's not fair," she said.

Remus shook his head. "No, it's not. He doesn't have the happiest of family relationships, Kate. His home life leaves a great deal to be desired. I don't feel right saying much more; just know that there are reasons for some of the things you hear about Sirius, Kate."

"I respect how you feel, Remus – and your loyalty to Sirius," Kate said. "I won't pry."

"You like him," Remus said.

Kate nodded. "There's something about him; I feel sort of drawn to him. I don't know…"

Remus smiled. "We hear that a _lot_."

Kate glanced up at the bar and smiled sadly. "I can see why."

Remus turned to look in the direction of her gaze and his eyes fell on Sirius, bottles of butter beer standing, seemingly forgotten on the bar, his attention claimed by a rather buxom blonde. As they watched, Sirius leaned toward the girl to listen more closely to whatever it was she was saying and his hand brushed hers in the process.

"He flirts like that all the time, Kate," Remus told her.

"I know. It never means anything, right? Listen, he looks pretty preoccupied. I think I'll just head back up to school," Kate rose and gathered up her things. When Remus rose, as well, Kate shook her head and placed her hand on his shoulder. "No, you can stay. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine." She smiled at her friend. "Thanks for coming with me, Remus. I had a good time with you."

"Kate, at least let me go and get our drinks. We can sit here and enjoy them," he suggested.

Kate smiled. "No, thanks; maybe next time. I'll see you later, Remus." And in a moment, she was gone.

Remus shook his head. Granted, Sirius didn't know that Kate might be harboring a crush on him, but that wasn't the point. At the very least, he might have returned to the table with their drinks _and then_ gone back up to flirt with the girl Remus now recognized as a 6th year (!) Hufflepuff. He looked back up at his friend and saw that he was going at the girl full tilt and that his attentions were more than reciprocated. Sirius had his hands on the girl's arms and she was playing with his hair. Remus huffed. He'd seen just about enough. Rising, he waved at a group waiting by the door for the next available table. Donning his cloak, he waited until they'd reached the booth and thanked him before heading out of Rosmerta's and into the crisp afternoon air. He never gave Sirius another glance.

XXXXXXXX

Much later that afternoon, Remus, James and Peter were sitting in their usual spots in the Common Room when Sirius finally blew in. "What the hell happened to _you_?" he asked Remus as he sank down onto the couch. "I turned around and you and Morgan had been replaced by a crowd of Ravenclaws."

Remus glanced at Sirius' disheveled appearance: hair mussed and shirt buttoned unevenly beneath his jacket. He nodded. "Not quite accurate. We actually were replaced by a very attractive blonde."

Sirius blinked at Remus in surprise. "I was just flirting with the bird, Moony. I wouldn't have ditched you."

"_Bollocks_, Sirius!" Remus' voice reflected his anger with his friend. "Look at you! It's obvious that you did more than _flirt_ with the girl!"

James and Peter exchanged a look of alarm and confusion. It was rare for Remus to show anger at anyone, much less his friends.

Sirius' face hardened and his eyes narrowed. "What's the matter, Remus? Are you jealous?"

"_Hardly_," Remus whispered, furiously. "You invited Kate to have a butter beer at Rosmerta's and excused yourself to go to the bar and get them. Then, your attention wandered – as did other parts of you, apparently – and you totally forgot about your friends. _That's _not right, Sirius; it's downright _rude_!"

"So just because I got up to a bit of snogging with Delilah Hornsby, you and Morgan trounce off?" Sirius face was flushed, but he'd lowered his voice as well. "Or did she decide that 'cute Slytherin at the back table' deserved a second look?"

Remus' fist clenched and unclenched where it rested on the sofa cushion. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths to bring his anger under control. He would _not _give in to his baser instincts and punch the other boy squarely on the jaw, no matter how much he wanted to do so. After several moments, he rose. "I'm going for a walk before dinner," he said.

Sirius watched his friend leave, feeling vaguely guilty about what had happened between them.

"Padfoot, what the hell just happened here?" James was asking him as he sat down in the spot Remus had just vacated. "What's all this about Morgan and Rosmerta's? I thought you took Diana to Hogsmeade today!"

Sirius sighed, running his hand through is already unruly hair in frustration. "Look, Diana ditched me because I didn't care about who was snogging whom or whether robes would be shorter next season or some such shite. She hooked up with some other guy by the time we got to Hogsmeade. Remus and Kate aren't together; they're friends. I hung around with them for a while, but I didn't want to bug them so I went off on my own. Morgan caught up with me at the Quidditch shop and then we wound up at Rosmerta's…"

"Where you ran into Delilah Hornsby," James finished.

"At the bar, buying butter beers," Sirius nodded. "_Merlin_, Prongs, I don't see why Moony is in such a snit over all this! It's not like I don't flirt all the time…"

James held up his hand. "Sirius, your reputation is your business. I can tell you one thing, though: when you're in a situation like the one you were in at Rosmerta's, you stay with your friends. Delilah Hornsby's been swanning after you since just before summer holidays, mate. It's not like you couldn't have waited until another day to let her catch you!"

Sirius remained silent.

"Besides, I thought you liked Kate," James added.

"_Merlin_, James! She's a _bird_ in our year. She's nice and all that, but I'm not going to get all worked up about any of 'em! I'm not even 16 'til next month!" Sirius had jumped up from his seat and begun pacing.

"Sirius, settle down, mate! No one said you were getting ready for a hand fasting! What the hell is wrong with you?!" James grabbed his friend by the shoulders and forced him to look him in the eye.

"_Nothing_! I just hate it that Remus is all pissed off at me. I didn't do anything I don't usually do and he just about tore my head off!"

James let go of the other boy. "Then go and find him; talk with him and straighten this out. Now. Before dinner. There's half the weekend left and no point being out of sorts with each other, yeah?"

Sirius didn't move or say anything for a moment, but then he nodded. "I'll be back." And he tore out of the Common Room and through the portrait hole in search of his friend.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius headed down the sloping lawn of the school grounds, eyes scanning the landscape in search of Remus. He directed his steps toward the large tree at the end of the wide path leading to the lake and was soon rewarded by the sight of the young werewolf sitting with his back against the broad trunk.

Sirius quickened his steps and in a moment was standing within easy speaking distance of the other boy. It was obvious, however, that Remus either had not heard him or was ignoring his presence as he continued to gaze out toward the water. _Ignoring me_, Sirius thought to himself. Remus' condition gave him keener hearing than most and his sense of smell was uncanny.

Sirius closed the distance between them and finally caught his friend's attention. He gestured to the spot next to Remus and, at his nod, lowered himself to the ground, resting his back against the tree.

"Still mad at me?" Sirius asked the other boy without turning to look at him.

"Yes."

"Because I snogged Delilah?"

Remus snorted in frustration. "Because you were selfish, rude and thoughtless."

"Remus, it's not like I did anything out of character. Delilah came up and started talking to me and…well…" he trailed off.

"And you started thinking with a part of your anatomy that isn't given to much rational thought," Remus finished, his expression softening only slightly.

"You make me sound like a randy dog, Moony," Sirius complained, his face coloring.

"You _are _a 'randy dog', Padfoot," Remus smiled, nudging the other boy with his elbow.

"Very funny," Sirius muttered, but his shoulders relaxed a bit at Remus' kinder tone.

"Remus, it's just that when a girl comes up to me and starts flirting, it makes me feel like I'm actually worth their time, you know? When they hold my hand or kiss me, it's just…just _nice_. It makes me feel good. And then you go and get all pissed off at me, so it makes me feel bad all over again."

Remus frowned. "I don't want you to feel bad about yourself, Padfoot. I care about you; you're my friend and you've done more for me than almost anyone else has ever done. But I _hate it _when you're selfish and when being selfish hurts other people. Doesn't mean I hate _you_; I just hate _it_. You're better than that; you're a more caring person than that."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Moony," Sirius said sincerely. "I care about you, too. You're my best friend; I care about what you think of me, so when you're mad at me I just hate it."

"I know that, Pads, I really do. You made me angry, but I think you hurt Kate," Remus replied.

Sirius turned away from the other boy. "I didn't mean to do that, either. Remus, I don't know what to do with her. I mean, I _know_, but … it's complicated and I don't know _why_ it's complicated. All the other birds I've flirted with … and snogged and … well, the few I've shagged … that's all I've wanted from them. I know that's pretty shallow, but really, Remus, I don't feel anything for them. I mean, they're nice and pretty and I like them well enough, but it never feels like it should be anything more than that." He huffed sharply. "I don't even know what I'm saying…"

"I get it, though," Remus said and Sirius turned to him in surprise.

"You _do_?"

"Yes, I think so. You don't want to get all caught up being part of a couple with any of them. You just want to have someone to snog with and…really, Sirius – you've honestly _shagged _someone?" Remus dropped his voice until Sirius could barely hear him.

"Moony, we're out here all alone; who do you think is going to overhear us talking about my sex life?" Sirius asked Remus his voice teasing.

It was Remus' turn to blush. "Padfoot – have you really taken a girl to bed? I mean, you're not even 16 yet!"

Sirius snorted. "There's no "official" start date on the equipment, Remus. When it works, it works. Mine works. Has since I was fourteen, actually. And no, I haven't actually taken a girl "to bed". "To chair", yes; "to garden swing", yes. To…"

Remus put his hands over his ears. "Enough! Stop! I don't want to hear any more. _Merlin_, Sirius, most wizards our age are still trying to work up enough nerve to ask a girl to go to Hogsmeade with them. Here _you _are – already _shagging_ them!"

"Well, Remus, if I thought it was going to damage you for life, I never would have said anything," Sirius said in a disgruntled voice. "Guess there's one more thing you can be disappointed in me about."

Remus reached over and put his arm over the other boy's shoulders. "I'm not disappointed in you. Impressed as hell and perhaps a bit jealous, but not disappointed." He paused. "But …"

"But, I hurt Kate," Sirius said. "Remus, I like her. I like talking to her; I think she's nice. She's smart and she's funny; she's also beautiful, which doesn't hurt. And she doesn't care that I'm a Black. 'Course, maybe she doesn't know what being a Black is all about, yet, but I'm pretty sure Evans has probably filled her in by now." He paused and looked up at his friend. "I don't feel the same way about her that I feel about the other birds. Sitting next to her at Rosmerta's today made me feel…I don't know – maybe a little bit like what Prongs feels about Evans. That's not me, Remus. I'm not like Jamie: one girl only. But then I think about how I felt when I saw Prewitt chatting her up or when Kate said she was looking at a 'cute Slytherin' in the pub – and I don't know."

Remus shrugged. "If you don't know then I think you're just going to keep feeling miserable 'til you do. I'm not sure how I can help you, except that I don't think you're doing yourself any favors by behaving the way you did today in front of Kate. No sense having her decide you're a big git before you figure out how you feel about her, is there?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, I guess not, Moony. I probably should talk to her, yeah?"

Remus stood up and offered Sirius his hand to help him to his feet as well. When they were both standing, he said, "I think you should talk with her and I might suggest two things to you." He waited.

"What?"

"You might want to start by saying sorry," Remus said as they started walking up to the castle.

"Ok; and the second bit of wisdom?"

"Remember that her first name is 'Kate'. Calling her 'Morgan' all the time probably won't help your cause," Remus smiled.

Sirius chuckled. "Yeah, ok, Moony; I'll try using the part of my anatomy that _is _intended for thinking, shall I?"

Remus cuffed him lightly on the back of the head and the two shared a laugh.

"Are we ok now, Moony?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Always, Pads," Remus replied.

They reached the Great Hall moments later and Sirius felt his stomach clench when his gaze settled on Kate, sitting by herself at one end of the Gryffindor table.

"No time like the present, Sirius," Remus said quietly.

The other boy nodded and straightened his shoulders. "When did life get so bloody complicated, Moony?" he asked.

"I believe when the 'equipment' started officially working," Remus deadpanned.

Sirius barked a laugh and then continued on his way to make things right with Kate.


	5. Making Amends

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 5 – Making Amends

Sirius walked over to Kate and gently tapped her on the shoulder. When she looked up at him, he smiled nervously. "May I sit down?"

"Of course," Kate replied, moving a book she'd place on the bench a bit closer to her. She gestured to the place beyond where the textbook lay.

_Don't want me too close to you, eh? _"Morg – _Kate_; I'm sorry about this afternoon," Sirius said quietly. "I was rude and inconsiderate. Actually, I was an idiot and I'm really sorry."

Kate looked at him for a long moment, but said nothing.

Sirius felt his heart sink and was about to get up and walk back to his usual seat when she finally spoke. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Oh. Yeah," he replied. The silence hung between them, neither really knowing what to say to the other beyond the words they'd already spoken.

"Can I move this book?" Sirius asked. "It's just that I feel like we've got enough between us and even though this is a little thing, it's like a barrier." Sirius looked down at his hands, folded on the table in front of him then back at her. "I hate barriers."

Kate nodded and Sirius picked up the book, carefully, and handed it to her. "Here. Thanks."

"So, I guess you're dating that girl," Kate finally spoke.

"Who? Delilah? Oh … no, no; I'm not dating Delilah," Sirius replied, shaking his head. "Why would you think I was dating …" his voice trailed off. "Oh."

Kate smiled. "Yes, 'oh'. You seemed … attracted to her. Is that the kind of girl who attracts you?"

Sirius hesitated. He wanted this girl to like him – no, more than that - he wanted her to _respect him_ and that was surprising to him. "Liking" and "respecting" were foreign concepts to him as neither was emphasized at home. His parents respected _power_ and _appearance _and _connections_. It mattered little to them whether or not they were liked – and they confused _envy _with respect on a consistent basis. For the first time in his life, Sirius was _not _confused about what he wanted in that regard. Kate was _not _like the other girls he'd been with and she was _certainly _not like Delilah. He might not completely understand what he felt for Kate, but he did understand that it was nothing like he'd felt before.

"I'm sorry," Kate was putting books into her bag. "That was out of line; your relationships are none of my business, after all." She was rising and all Sirius wanted to do was stop her before she got away from him again.

"Wait," he said reaching out to take her arm. "You don't have anything to apologize for here; really. I was just thinking about how I want to say this. I don't want there to be any more misunderstandings."

Kate sat back down and watched him carefully.

"Delilah is a girl I would flirt with; she is not a girl I would have any kind of a real _relationship_ with. I am not attracted to her in that way. I'm almost 16 and I guess I don't think about relationships," Sirius said. "Kate, I like girls. I like to flirt with them. I like the way it feels to be liked by them. I like the way I feel about myself."

"Sirius, I want to say something to you; you might not like it, but I need to say it." Kate paused and took a deep breath. "I'm not the kind of girl who _flirts_, ok? I'm not good at it; I never have been. I don't necessarily think that it's harmless; at least not the kind of flirting that escalates into something more. I think that flirting can sometimes lead people to get carried away."

"So, basically, you're not that kind of girl," Sirius said.

Kate shook her head. "No, I'm not. More than that, though, I just don't want to get hurt."

"I would never hurt you, you know." Sirius stuffed his hands into the pockets of his robes. "You make me feel like a slag," Sirius said, his voice quivering in his indignation. "A cheap slag who just wants to get into a witch's knickers and then never speak to her again afterward."

"I never said that, Sirius," Kate said quietly. "All I've said is that I'm not comfortable with that kind of flirting, that kind of situation. If you feel that way, it's of your own doing; I've never said I thought that little of you."

"Well, _I_ never said that I thought you were the type of girl I _would _flirt with," Sirius was still stung by what he felt Kate had implied.

Kate shook her head sadly. "And you were never going to hurt me," she said and then brushed by him on her way to the dormitory.

Sirius looked after her then turned to join Remus at the Marauders' usual seats. James and Peter, who had by now joined their friend, moved to make room.

Remus was the first to speak. "What happened?"

"She thinks I'm a slag," Sirius said bitterly.

"She said that?" James wanted to know. "Because it doesn't sound like something she would say."

"You know her so well, do you?" came Sirius' angry retort. "Taking her side over your best mate's, are you?"

"Oi, Padfoot, calm down," James said, reaching over and clamping his hand around the other boy's arm. "I'm not taking sides against you; I just meant that Kate doesn't seem the type to say something like that. I don't know her any better than you do, after all."

Sirius snorted and looked around at his friends. "You can think whatever you want to about her, but I know what I heard," he said. "And even if she didn't say that word, she got her point across."

Remus spoke up. "Perhaps it would be helpful if you told us exactly what she _did _say."

Sirius shook his head. "I said sorry about Hogsmeade and she was ok about it all. Then she asked me if I was dating Delilah. I tried to explain to her that girls like Delilah didn't interest me as far as serious relationships were concerned. I told her that I liked girls; liked flirting with them. She said she wasn't 'that kind of girl'; she didn't like 'that kind' of flirting. Said she wasn't good at it and that it led to things that hurt other people."

"Well, Sirius, she _does _have a point, there," James said after a few minutes had passed. "I mean, you _are _pretty fickle where the birds are concerned…even at your tender age. What's the longest you've been with one girl?"

Sirius' face reflected his irritation with his friend. "I thought you were my friend, James and here you are saying terrible things about me."

"How long, Sirius?" James asked again.

"Well, last year I was with that Eleander girl for – _Merlin _– it must have been a good 6 months," he replied.

"Her name was Eleanora and it was 6 weeks, Padfoot," Remus contributed, shaking his head. "How can you be angry with what Kate said if you can't even remember the names of the witches you've dallied with?"

"You're not even 16 yet, Padfoot," Peter observed. "You'd better slow down or you'll wear it out."

Sirius' eyes widened in disbelief as he listened to his friends. He was used to criticism; he had enough of it at home. His friends were generally kinder to him, however, and this entire conversation was making him feel more than a little bit put upon.

"For your information, Wormtail, it doesn't '_wear out_'," Sirius spat. "And even if it did, I'm not shagging every bint who stops in front of me, so I'm in no danger. You three make it sound like I'm dragging witches into broom cupboards by the hair against their will all hours of the day and night. Well, you're all wrong." He got up. "But I'll tell you this; the witches I _have _been with were all very nice and _very _willing and they made me feel like I was worth something. I don't really feel worth _anything_ right now." And Sirius walked away, ignoring the calls from his friends as he exited the Great Hall and made his way up the staircase.

"_Sugar Zombies_," he bit out when he reached the portrait hole and the Fat Lady swung to, allowing him to pass into the Common Room.

He stomped into the room, looking neither left nor right, making a beeline for the wingback chair in the window-corner of the room. When Sirius was out of sorts, this was his favorite place to sit and think; situated in the shadows, it allowed him a full view of the room while allowing him to hide away. It was perfect for his current mood. Without thinking, he threw himself into the chair and was greeted with a muffled, "Oof!"

Sirius leapt up as though bitten and turned to see Kate sitting awkwardly in the chair.

"What are _you _doing there?" he demanded, shock taking the place of any semblance of manners.

"Getting the wind knocked out of me by _you_, obviously," Kate replied, removing her book from her lap and rubbing the spot on her stomach where Sirius' body had pushed it.

"Aren't you supposed to be at dinner with your friends?" Kate pushed herself into a more upright position in the chair.

"I'm not hungry," Sirius replied, sitting on the ottoman a short distance away from her. "What about _you_? I thought you were going to wash up and come back down to eat with _your _friends."

"I wasn't hungry," Kate echoed his earlier comment. "I'm certainly not hungry _now_," she added, rubbing her stomach again.

"Oh … yeah, well…I'm sorry about that," Sirius said, finally. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I can breathe normally again," she said. "Did you want me to move so you can have the chair?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, thanks; I'll go over there," he pointed vaguely in the direction of the sofa. "You can go back to your book."

Kate was surprised, but managed to keep a straight face as she opened her book, unfolding the crease in her page that was the result of Sirius' blind leap onto her lap.

Sirius walked over to the sofa and sat down – but not before he turned around and looked cautiously at the cushion. Once settled, he put his feet up on the low table in front of the sofa, folded his arms over his chest and fixed his gaze on the blazing fire in the hearth. For awhile, the only sounds in the room were the crackling logs and the periodic soft turn of a page as Kate continued to read. Sirius, never comfortable with silence, finally broke it.

"So, why weren't you hungry?" he asked, looking over at Kate.

"I don't know," she replied. "Perhaps because I had a larger breakfast than usual."

Sirius shook his head. "No, that can't be it. Breakfast was _hours _ago."

Kate gave him an amused look. "Alright, then; you tell me. Why wasn't I hungry?"

"Well, I'm no expert, but I suspect it might have been because something – or some_one_ took away your appetite," Sirius had turned his attention back to the fire and now cast a sidelong glance in Kate's direction.

_Ah, figured it out, have you?_ Kate put her finger on her place in her book and looked up at him. "Any ideas?"

"As a matter of fact, I've seen this sort of thing before," Sirius said, nodding his head and coming back to sit on the ottoman. "'Git-itis. Common ailment amongst teenage wizards. Involves sticking their feet into their overly-large mouths – repeatedly in the more severe cases. It's _very _painful; for people around the patient as well as for the wizard, himself, once he realizes what he's done."

Kate's expression softened. "Really? Is there no cure for – what was it? – _'Git-itis'_?"

Sirius took heart that Kate had neither fled the room nor slapped him - yet. He shook his head. "Sadly, only maturity. And even then, if the wizard isn't diligent, he is subject to the odd relapse. Of course, the symptoms can be minimized if people around him remind him – _gently_, of course – that he's begun to show signs again. He can then review his behavior and make the necessary adjustments."

"I see," Kate responded. "It sounds as if the condition isn't completely hopeless, doesn't it?"

Sirius smiled. "I certainly hope so. Kate, I'm so sorry about this afternoon – before and _after _in the Great Hall. I really didn't mean to hurt you. I …," he wasn't sure where to go from there. _I'm not careless with witches? _Probably not entirely true. He certainly didn't stay with any of them for very long, did he? _I don't sleep around?_ Although Sirius fervently believed that even though he was sexually active, he didn't qualify as being indiscriminate or _loose_. He just wasn't too sure if his definition of those things was entirely accurate. He felt something on his arm and looked down to see that Kate had rested her hand on it.

"It's alright, Sirius," she said to him softly. "I understand."

"Do you forgive me?" he asked, equally quietly. "I know that I probably don't deserve it, but I'd like it all the same. And I _will _try to behave myself."

"Sirius, stop; I forgive you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"What if I'm stupid again? Even if I try really hard not to be."

"I'm a witch, Sirius – and I'm good at it. Depending upon how stupid you get, I'll probably hex you," Kate said, withdrawing her hand and putting her book back in her bag.

Sirius smiled and reached for her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "I like you, Kate Morgan."

"Sirius Black, _Merlin help me_, I like you, too. Let's try to just keep things that way this time, ok?"

"Yeah, ok," Sirius was still grinning, but his smile slipped when she stood up and shouldered her book bag. "Wait – where are you going?"

"I'm hungry – finally. I thought I'd try to get down to the Great Hall before dinner ended," she explained.

"I could eat, too, but dinner is just about over. Could you wait a bit – perhaps 30 minutes or so?" Sirius asked.

"I suppose so, why?"

"Well, if we give them time to clear the Great Hall, the house elves will be finished in the kitchen and if we slip down there, they'll feed us," Sirius said, smiling. "Ever been down to the kitchens?"

Kate shook her head. "I have a feeling that's about to change."

Thirty minutes later, she was proven right. Standing next to Sirius, Kate watched him move his index finger over a pear painted into a picture hanging on the wall in what appeared to be a deserted corridor. She was stunned when the pear began to wriggle in its painted dish and even more so when a door appeared to the right of the frame. Sirius turned to her and waggled his eyebrows up and down. "Shall we?" he opened the door and stepped to the side to allow Kate to enter.

"How did you make this happen?" Kate asked as she passed into the room.

"I tickled the pear," he grinned. "It's magic, you see!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "You don't say!" But she was smiling as she said it.

The two teenagers walked into the room and were warmly greeted by a host of house elves, who insisted they sit down and have dinner. When Sirius and Kate each had a full plate in front of them and a large pitcher of iced pumpkin juice, the house elves discreetly moved away from their immediate vicinity to give the young people their privacy.

"So, how did you ever come across the kitchens?" Kate poured each of them a tumbler of juice and handed Sirius his glass.

"Desperation, really," Sirius responded. "James and I were caught out at one prank or another right after our last class. Filch was so incensed with us that he put us in detention straight away – with no dinner. After marching ourselves all over the school, scrubbing away in the bathrooms, we were starving and dinner was long past over. We ran into one of the house elves laying the fire in the Common Room and he told us how to get in. It's been _our _salvation ever since and now, gentleman that I am, I'm sharing it with _you_."

"And I thank you," Kate said, smiling, laying down her fork. "I am full to the gills," she added. "I couldn't eat another bite if I had to."

Sirius smiled. "Lightweight," he teased.

"Mmm," she murmured. "Listen, as much as I hate to break this up, I have homework to do. Do you mind if I…."

"Not at all. I should probably stun the hell out of a couple of professors and attack my assignments, as well. I'll walk with you," Sirius replied.

After thanking the house elves and repeatedly assuring them that they needed nothing more, Sirius and Kate departed the kitchen and headed back to their Common Room.

As they approached the portrait, Sirius took Kate's hand. "Thanks for having dinner with me. Hey, I think we just had our first date!"

Kate pulled a horrified face. "Oh, we _couldn't _have! We didn't exchange one angry word and we're still talking to each other. Doesn't seem likely that we were together long enough for a whole date if that's the case!"

"Funny, Kate. I think we did have a semi-proper date, so…" he paused then leaned over and kissed her cheek lightly. "There's a goodnight kiss at the door."

Kate's eyes went wide and Sirius experienced a moment of panic, thinking that perhaps he had crossed the line. Then, she smiled. "Well, as long as we had at least a semi-proper date, that was ok. Come on, this isn't getting our homework done, is it?"

Once again, Sirius held the door open for her and she walked through. As Sirius followed her into the Common Room, James, Remus and Peter looked over at him. He grinned widely at his three friends who looked from him to Kate and back again. As one, they returned his smile, relieved that at least for now, things seemed to have righted themselves.


	6. Transformations

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 6 – Transformations

The next couple of weeks passed quickly, owing to the steady routine of classes, homework and, for James and Sirius, Quidditch practice. The first match of the year was due to happen the following day and, while Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor didn't exactly inspire fan frenzy, it _was_, after all, the _first match_. Unfortunately, as Sirius pointed out to the other boys, it was _also_ full moon – their first as Animagi.

They had already agreed that they would never let Remus go through another transformation all alone – not now when they could safely be with him. If the Quidditch match went long, Wormtail couldn't take the werewolf on alone, however, so there was some consternation about the potential length of the match. After all, several well-known matches had lasted weeks. "But none of those recorded matches were played by students," James was quick to point out.

On the day of the match, the boys were gathered in the Common Room in front of the fire. Sirius and James were preparing to head down to the Pitch to suit up for the match and Peter had left a few minutes earlier to 'find a good seat'. Remus was already feeling the effects of his impending change and regretfully told the boys he would have to miss it. Although they understood, each of them, particularly Sirius, had a hard time seeing the dark circles around Remus' eyes and the gray tinge to his complexion. Sirius hated the whole process Remus was forced to endure and, loyal mate that he was, hated to leave him.

"Quidditch calls, Padfoot," Remus smiled. "You and James have worked hard; go make Gryffindor proud!"

Sirius returned his smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "We'll be there for you tonight, Moony," he said quietly. "We're going to introduce the wolf to his pack; don't you worry!"

Remus shook his head. "I'm still not convinced this is advisable, Pads. What if something goes wrong? How can we live with ourselves then? How can _I_ live with myself if I hurt one of you?"

Sirius leaned closer to the other boy. "Stop worrying. We've talked this out and we know everything will be fine. You just rest up for now. We'll see you after you've gone to the shack. Moony, we're here for you – always. Until someone finds a cure for this thing, we'll be with you to help you through it. Focus on that, yeah?"

Remus cleared his throat before attempting to speak. "Yeah," he croaked.

Sirius rose and headed toward the portrait hole. Halfway there, he turned. "Oh, and Moony?" The other boy lifted his eyebrows in response. "While you're lazing around up here, you _could_ focus on rooting for your brilliant mates, giving their all for good old Gryffindor!" And he was gone, Remus' soft laughter ringing in his ears.

XXXXXXXX

"Come _on_, Prongs," Sirius shouted furiously as they changed their clothing after the match. Anyone who had not attended would have thought Gryffindor had suffered crushing defeat rather than the stunning 150 to 10 victory they had achieved for their House.

"My laces are knotted," the other wizard replied, his voice tense. "Give me a minute."

"Moonrise is in less than an hour and we still have to get your Invisibility Cloak from the dorm before we can go to the shack," Sirius reminded him, irritably. "We don't want to get caught and we _don't _want Moony to change without us!"

The other boy rolled his eyes and finally sorted out his footwear. Once Sirius saw his friend was ready, he tore out of the changing room and began running for the castle, James in hot pursuit. "_Sirius_! Wait," he yelled. The other boy might have slowed marginally, but any such change in speed was barely discernable. James felt his anger rise. "_Padfoot_, bloody _hell_, man – _stop_ or the Invisibility Cloak stays in my trunk!" That did it. Sirius stopped and turned, arms folded across his chest as he waited for James to catch him up.

"What do you _mean_, James?" Sirius asked him as he drew level.

James took a moment to catch his breath. "I just needed to get your attention," he panted. "Now that I have it, listen to me. If we go charging through the halls and into the Common Room, what do you think is going to happen?"

"Blimey, James, I don't know. Maybe we'd actually get to the Shack on time?" Sirius' voice rang with sarcasm. "You know, like we _promised_ Remus we'd do?"

"Stuff it, Sirius," James bit out. "_No_, as a matter of fact, I _don't _think that it means we'd get there on time. I think that it will invite _questions_ – from both students _and _teachers, Sirius; and _that _will result in delays and we _won't _get to Remus in time."

Sirius huffed and looked past James to the Black Lake as he considered his words. "Alright, James; I'll be the picture of slow-moving nonchalance. Will _that _do it?"

"I'm just saying that tearing through the halls like the hounds of Hell are after you will raise questions. We can do this without calling attention to ourselves. When we get to the Common Room, you stay there, chatting up the ladies and fielding questions about our heroism on the Pitch. I'll come back down in a tick and we'll head out, yeah?" James explained, taking Sirius by the arm and walking the rest of the way to the large double doors.

"Yeah, ok, Prongs," Sirius replied. "Say, where's Peter?"

"By the tree," James told him. "Come on. Let's go."

When the boys reached the Common Room, Sirius saw that James was, indeed, correct. The room was filled with Gryffindor students anxious to recognize their Quidditch heroes and James and Sirius fit that bill well. Sirius stayed behind, accepting the laudatory comments of his housemates while James slipped up the dormitory stairs to retrieve the Cloak. Sirius was half-listening to the blathering of a rapturous 3rd year and watching the entrance to the stairway when he felt a hand on his arm. "Great game," Kate's soft voice reached his ears and the sound commanded his full attention. "And I can _say _'great game' with full confidence in my knowledge, based on your recent lesson!" she chuckled.

"Happy to have been of assistance. Liked it, did you?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Kate responded. "I wasn't sure I was going to when the boy was hit in the face by the ball and fell off his broom."

"Yeah, well, the nose always bleeds like that," Sirius said. "Regular gusher sometimes; good job Madame Hooch slowed his fall so he landed as softly as he did, though."

Kate shook her head. "Does that happen all the time?"

"Well, not _that_, specifically, but Quidditch is pretty rough," Sirius replied. He took a breath to continue the conversation when he caught sight of James returning to the crowded room. "Gotta go," he said, instead. "See you later, maybe?"

Kate nodded and watched as Sirius caught up with James and the two of them went back through the Portrait hole.

"Now what are those two up to _this time_?" Lily's voice sounded from behind her.

Kate turned and shrugged. "No idea. Come on, let's have some fun," and with that she took her friend by the hand and dragged her over where Alice, Frank and several others from their year were celebrating the win with pumpkin juice and someone's stash of Honeyduke's Finest.

XXXXXXXX

Once on the other side of the Common Room entrance, Sirius and James donned the Cloak and swiftly made their way outside the school. As they picked their way over the uneven ground in an effort to keep their footing, they were aware of the swift approach of moonrise. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached the Whomping Willow.

"Over here," Wormtail's whisper reached their ears and they threw off the cloak and ran to join him.

"Ok, Petey, transform and press the knot that freezes this thing," Sirius instructed and a moment later, a plump gray rat stood in place of their friend. Twitching nervously for a moment, Wormtail dodged a particularly fierce branch and made it to the tree's twisted trunk. In another moment, he pressed against the protruding knot and the tree was motionless.

The boys moved quickly to the tunnel entrance and each slipped down in turn.

"Lumos," James murmured and light shone from the tip of his wand, illuminating the narrow tunnel and allowing them to move at a swift pace. Ten minutes later the tunnel shifted sharply upward; they had reached their destination.

They paused, listening for any sign that Remus had transformed, but all was silent. Sirius pressed against the trap door that led into the Shack and lifted himself upward until his head and shoulders were clear of the opening.

"Sirius?" Remus' raspy voice startled the other boy, but he scrambled to hoist the rest of his body into the room, calling down to the others to do the same. He turned in the direction from which Remus' voice had come.

"Moony?"

"Over here."

Sirius walked toward the far corner of the room and saw his friend seated upon a mattress that had clearly seen better days. Remus had on old and much frayed robes and he was trembling slightly. Sirius stifled a gasp. Remus' eyes had already begun to change color and there was a light sheen of sweat on his face.

"Alright, mate?" Sirius slapped himself on the forehead. "Never mind. _That was bloody stupid of me!_ How _could _you be alright?"

Remus tried to manage a smile, but it appeared as a grimace. "It's ok, Padfoot," he rasped. "Listen, I'm going to transform soon. You have to promise me that you won't watch. You _have _to promise me, Sirius. It's too … I don't want …"

Sirius reached out and grabbed his friend's hand, squeezing it slightly. "I promise, Moony. No worries."

Remus wasn't finished. "When I tell you three to transform, you _must _do it straight away, yes?"

Sirius nodded and turned to see James and Peter doing the same.

"And stay as far away as you can until it's over," Remus continued, his body beginning to shake harder. "I don't know what … the … wolf … will …. _Change! NOW!_"

There was a shimmer of magic around all three boys and in the next moment, they had assumed their Animagus forms. As Remus had requested, the trio moved to the furthest point in the room from where their friend was positioned and turned their backs.

Sirius knew that if he lived to be 1,000 years old he would never forget the sounds of that first transformation. It began with a garbled groan that escalated to a sharp keening cry as Remus the wizard began to give way to the wolf. 'Give way' was probably an incorrect statement as, with the subsequent sound of snapping bones and ever-deepening moans that turned to snarling growls, it was clear that the wolf was _taking_ all of Remus' humanity – and in a manner more vicious and violent than any of them could ever remember witnessing. Finally, a long, drawn out howl echoed through the room. The transformation from wizard to wolf was complete.

Sirius turned first and, even in his canine form, he caught his breath. Remus' wolf was _huge_ and powerful – a gray mass of fur and muscle unlike anything he had ever seen. The wolf's head was massive and his eyes shown bright gold in the moonlight streaming in through the window. That same moonlight illuminated the deadly fangs, fully exposed and dripping with saliva. With a movement born of instinct Sirius didn't know he had, he took two steps toward the wolf, who snarled sharply at him. Immediately, Padfoot rolled onto his back and tilted his head back, exposing his neck to the wolf in a time-honored gesture of submission.

Growling menacingly in his throat, the wolf approached Padfoot and it took every ounce of Sirius' courage and focus to remain perfectly still. The wolf dropped his head to snuffle at Sirius' neck and, just for a moment, the powerful jaws opened and encompassed Padfoot's furry throat. Sirius fought to remain motionless and was soon rewarded when the wolf released him and backed away, eyeing the other two animals and sniffing the air curiously. After several moments had passed, Padfoot advanced on the wolf, butting him in the side with his own large furry head. Moony jumped backward – apparently taken by surprise – and then growled loudly. The great Grim-like dog again threw himself to the ground, on his back and awaited the wolf's reaction. When none came, Padfoot poked the wolf with his paw; that finally did it. It seemed that the wolf accepted this similar creature as a pack mate and poked Padfoot in return. They initiated a wrestling match that lasted several minutes and was cautiously observed by Prongs and Wormtail – who had climbed up onto the stag's back at the sound of the wolf's first, agonized howl.

Sirius extricated himself from the wolf's grasp and headed toward the door leading to the staircase. Outside the Shack's entrance lay the Forbidden Forest – and a variety of adventures Moony and his makeshift pack could enjoy until moonset. Once he had the wolf's attention, Padfoot galloped from the room and the heavy pounding of his great paws on the stairway could be heard – and felt – by the remaining occupants. With a snort, the wolf followed and Prongs and Wormtail brought up the rear. For the rest of the night, the wolf ran and – after a fashion, _played_ in the forest, accompanied by a very unusual pack who kept him in check through a variety of equally unusual herding techniques. Just before moonset, the Animagi managed to get the wolf back inside the Shack and moments later, the transformation that would return wolf to boy began. As before, Sirius, James and Peter turned away from their friend until the scuffling and moaning ceased, signaling that the transformation was over for another month. Sirius transformed back into his human form and located Remus' robes. He carefully covered his friend, whose eyes were still tightly closed in pain and whose breathing was labored.

"What can we do, Remus?" Sirius whispered, sitting down on the hard, wooden floor next to the tattered mattress.

Remus' eyes opened slightly and Sirius was relieved to see the gold fading from them. He was surprised when a soft smile graced Remus' face. "Nothing," the boy whispered back, his smile widening and his eyes filling with grateful tears. "You've already done it – all of you. I've never felt this pain-free after a transformation." The young werewolf's eyes caught those of James and Peter in turn. "You – all of you – did that for me. Thank you," he finished, his eyes closing again, briefly. When they next opened, Remus' smile disappeared. "You've got to go before Madame Pomfrey gets here," he said urgently. "I won't be able to explain you – particularly as you haven't been hurt."

Sirius put his hand on Remus arm. "No worries, mate. We just wanted to wait until you came back so we knew you were ok. We'll leave now so you don't have to worry, yeah?"

Remus nodded, reaching one hand out from under the shabby robes and gripping Sirius' hand tightly. "I'll never be able to thank you for this."

"No thanks needed, Moony. This is what friends do," Sirius whispered back and rose.

"Come on; let's get out of here before we're caught." With a final look at their friend, the Animagi re-entered the tunnel and made their way back to the entrance. After Peter transformed and stilled the branches, the three friends went over to a large boulder that stood several hundred feet away from the deadly tree. Crouching behind it, they watched as the school nurse approached – and immobilized the tree and disappeared down the tunnel. Awhile later, she reappeared, Remus walking beside her, a heavy woolen blanket wrapped around his body for warmth.

"You've barely a scratch on you this time, child," Pomfrey's voice carried over to them. "Were your transformations easier over the summer as well?"

"A bit, Madame Pomfrey," they heard Remus' tired voice reply.

"Well, perhaps they will be better now that you're getting older and your body more used to them," she theorized. The boys could see Remus bob his head in response. Sirius smiled. _It will be easier from now on because _we'll _be with him and we won't let him hurt himself again,_ he thought.

They boys stayed hidden until the nurse and her patient were close to the school and then they, too made their tired way back to Hogwarts – and their warm beds. As it was Saturday and there were no classes, the trio looked forward to some well-deserved sleep.

XXXXXXXX

"Your friends are here, Mr. Lupin," Poppy Pomfrey announced, her normally clipped tones a bit softer as she did so. "They've been waiting more than an hour if you'd like to see them.

Remus nodded enthusiastically. He wanted to be back in his Common Room, seeing no reason why he had to remain in the Hospital wing until evening. The nurse explained that his lack of injury was so unusual that she wanted him to remain for observation to see if any bruising or other injuries came out in that time. The arrival of his friends improved his mood considerably _and _just might prove to the strict nurse that he was well enough to return to his dormitory earlier than she had originally indicated.

"Remus!"

"Moony!"

"We brought chocolate for you!" Peter added the more informative greeting and Remus smiled his thanks as the smaller boy unwrapped a chocolate frog for his friend. "Here you are," he said with a smile, handing it to the young werewolf.

"Thanks, Wormtail," Remus said, smiling at his friend. "How did you know that this was _just _what I was thinking about?"

The other boy blushed furiously but a large grin split his face as he shrugged.

"All right, there, Moony?" Sirius perched on the edge of the chair placed close to Remus' bed.

Remus nodded his mouth full of chocolate. He swallowed and smiled again at his friends. "I can't remember feeling this good after a transformation," he told them. "You are brilliant mates."

"We're your friends, Remus," James said quietly. "Friends stick together."

"Remus," Peter whispered, leaning in close to the boy in the hospital bed. "Do you remember anything about last night?"

Remus shook his head. "I never do, Pete," he replied. "Sometimes I have impressions, but never memories." His eyes narrowed a bit. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Nice job, Wormy," Sirius commented, throwing a mild glare at the other boy. "No, Moony, nothing happened. We just chased each other around the forest for a bit then herded you back into the Shack just before moonrise. It was a brilliant adventure, I tell you. It's a pity you _can't _remember it."

Remus' brows drew together sharply. "We left the Shack?" His voice was incredulous and the expression in his eyes told the other boy he was unamused.

"Nothing happened, Remus," Sirius said, the confidence in his voice waning just a bit under the other boy's glare. "Listen, Prongs used his great bloody rack to keep the wolf in line and Padfoot kept running circles around you and barking. You thought it was all a great game, Moons. We were in control; no one got hurt."

Remus closed his eyes for a moment, willing his anger down. In the hours immediately after the full moon, the boy was quick to temper – a lingering characteristic of the wolf. He felt it now. Once convinced he could control his emotions, Remus opened his eyes and looked at each of his friends in turn. "This is _not _a 'game', Sirius and – make no mistake about this - you were _not _'in control'. The _wolf_ is in control – always. Never, _ever_ make that statement in my hearing again…and never, for one moment, believe that it's true. I am here because Dumbledore has taken such extraordinary measures to ensure that I am enclosed during full moon – that I cannot get out and chance killing or, worse – _turning_ another. It is a betrayal of his trust for us to run wild in the forest during full moon. If the wolf wanted to get away, it could…I could; people could be hurt …"

Sirius shook his head. "Remus, please. The wolf was happy last night. He had a pack to run with. He accepted us and ran with us. He never tried to move outside the forest or to get away from us. A couple of times, he wandered a little off the path, but we chased him back and he came without complaint. _Remus_, we had to have done _something _right. Look at you – no fresh wounds. And you said it yourself; you've never felt so pain free after a transformation."

Remus felt himself wavering in the face of Sirius' logic, despite the fact that deep down he knew that logic to be flawed. If the wolf met its pack for the first time last night and didn't hurt them – and the Animagi were able to control it, perhaps it would be alright. "Listen, there can never be any chances taken with this. You must promise me that we will restrict ourselves to the deepest parts of the Forest and under no circumstances will we _ever_ drift anywhere _near _Hogsmeade. Is that clear? Do you all promise?"

The three boys solemnly nodded back at him. "We promise, Moony," James said quietly.

Remus looked at them for a moment longer and then smiled. "Alright then. I'm putting my trust in you. No chances."

"No chances," Sirius echoed and the other two nodded again.

"Alright, boys, Mr. Lupin needs to rest," Madame Pomfrey came bustling into the room.

"Madam Pomfrey, couldn't I go back to the dormitory?" Remus asked. "I promise that I will rest, but truly, I'm feeling quite well and I would really like to be with my friends."

The nurse looked at him doubtfully. "I still think it would be wise for you to remain here, under observation, against any symptoms or injuries that could later present themselves."

"Madam Pomfrey," Sirius spoke up. "We don't want anything to happen to Remus. What if we promised that we'd make him rest in bed as soon as we get back to the tower? He can have his dinner in bed – we'll bring it to him, if you'd like. Then we can all just sit around and keep him company until it's time for him to go to sleep. Early. We'll make sure he puts out his light and gets to sleep early. Could you let him go if we promise all of that?"

The nurse suppressed a smile. The boy was obviously sincere and it was clear that they wanted their friend to be well. She nodded. "Yes, if you promise me all of those things – and actually _keep _that promise, I will release Mr. Lupin with instructions to go back to his dormitory … and his bed – immediately."

There were smiles all 'round as the nurse ordered the boys to wait outside while she gave Remus one more look-over before he dressed and joined them.

Thirty minutes later, the Marauders were on their way to the dormitory – and a young werewolf, tired though he might have been, was keeping up with his friends, buoyed by the knowledge that he was, indeed, accepted for who – and what – he was.


	7. Relationships Transformed

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 7 – Relationships Transformed

The boys had gotten through their introduction to "Moony" with no injuries – to themselves or anyone outside their little group. Now, it was time for life to return to normal or, as Remus wryly commented, "the _Marauder_ version of 'normal'" which was, of course, chaotic.

Between classes and homework, the four boys were also quite focused on the planning and execution of their first prank of the school year. Sirius and James, however, had the additional preoccupation of their relationships with Kate Morgan and Lily Evans, respectively. Of course, Sirius appeared to be doing much better than his mate in the development of _his_ relationship; Lily was still far less than enthusiastic about the continuing attentions of one James Potter. In deference to the young wizard's periodic melancholy, even Sirius called a temporary halt to teasing him. This wasn't as difficult as it might sound, however, due to Sirius' growing fascination with Kate.

Despite considerable time spent mulling it all over, Sirius couldn't really fathom how he'd gone from _welcoming_ the attentions of several young witches to _seeking_ the attention – and affection – of only one. He found himself glancing her way repeatedly in their classes, searching out her dark auburn hair in crowded hallways between classes and angling to sit near her whenever they were both in the common room. For her part, Kate had taken to attending some of the Gryffindor Quidditch practices, much to the disdain of Lily, who seemed to find her attraction to Sirius quite without merit. Kate found herself in the unenviable position of balancing her own growing interest in the complex Marauder with her genuine affection for her best friend.

"Really, Kate," Lily said one afternoon after enduring the sight of Sirius' surreptitious glances for much longer than she cared to. "I don't see the attraction. He's been making calf eyes at you all afternoon; how can you _bear _it?"

Kate closed the book she had been reading, holding her place with her finger and turned to face her friend. "Lily, why do you dislike him so much?"

"He's awful when it comes to relationships. He's dated and dropped half the witches in our year and he doesn't let them down gently either. He's boorish, takes nothing seriously and is always causing trouble of some kind," the other girl answered. After a moment, she added, "Tell me why _you _find him so appealing."

Kate thought for a moment. "He's intelligent, inquisitive and has a fine sense of humor and fun. He's also unswervingly loyal to his friends, which, to my mind, is a very fine character trait. Of course, he's physically attractive as well, which doesn't hurt. There's something else, though; something I can't quite put my finger on. Sometimes I look at him when he thinks no one is watching and it seems that the boisterous prankster persona drops away. His face changes then; he's almost contemplative or sad, I'm not certain which. I think there's a great deal more to him than he allows most people to see. I'm curious about it, I suppose; curious about him."

Lily snorted. "You shouldn't need Divination to figure _him _out, Kate. If you've seen a more subdued side to Black than I have, it's undoubtedly because he's done something heinous and he's afraid he's going to be caught out. He's just like his best mate, Potter and …"

"…and I know just what you think of _him_," Kate interrupted. "Listen, Lily – you are really the last person I ever thought would dismiss someone as one-dimensional. After all, you and Severus are friends, am I right?" Lily nodded, but when she drew breath to speak, Kate neatly prevented another diatribe by picking up again. "Most people think quite ill of him, yet you see beyond his seemingly ill-kempt appearance and surly disposition. He, too, has avoided the typical Slytherin view of non pure blooded students – at least as far as you are concerned. Having benefited from that perspective _and _generously treated another person in a similar fashion, I would think you would see fit to admit there _could _be another side to Sirius. James, as well, come to that. I've never thought you to be an unkind person, Lily; in fact, I've always found you to be uncommonly kind and generous. It makes me wonder why you cannot be so toward those two wizards. They've done nothing unkind to you, after all, although I'll admit that James' attentions and constant pursuit would most likely become a bit tiring after awhile." Kate paused and gave her friend a small smile to soften her words. Lily simply gazed at her in shock and with some degree of insult. Kate had never expressed herself to Lily in this way and the other witch was quite taken aback by her comments. As affronted as she might have been, however, Lily Evans was a very honest person by nature and that facet of her personality was forced to admit that much of what Kate had said was, in fact, true; and that realization stung a bit.

Lily nodded. "Well, then. I suppose I'll just head over to the library and see if someone has returned that potions manual Severus mentioned earlier. I'll see you at dinner, then?"

Kate reached out to touch the other girl's arm, but Lily was already on her feet and stuffing her books into her bag. "Lily," Kate said quietly. "I didn't mean to hurt you; I just wanted to tell you what I was feeling."

Lily nodded once more, but found that she couldn't speak without betraying the constriction in her throat. She _hated _it when someone – particularly a friend – thought badly of her. She needed to retreat and think things over, as always, before she could move on.

Kate watched as her friend made her way through the common room and through the portrait hole. She sighed and opened her book once again, feeling at once sad that Lily's feelings were bruised and happy that she had finally spoken her mind.

Kate had made her way through half a page when she felt someone sink down on the cushion next to her. She again closed the book on her finger and turned, half expecting that Lily had come back to talk things through before dinner. Kate was pleasantly surprised to find the catalyst of their disagreement looking anxiously at her.

"You and Evans have a falling out, did you?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Not exactly," Kate replied. "What would make you think that?"

Sirius shrugged. "She kept opening and closing her mouth while you were talking to her a few moments ago and I don't really think that _speechless_ is something Evans experiences very often. You must have said something to put her off her game; as proven by her quick exit – book bag in tow."

Kate shook her head. "Nothing fatal, I assure you. And why were _you _so interested in what was going on over here?"

Sirius had the good grace to flush a bit at the question, but he wouldn't back down now that she'd caught him. "It has obviously escaped your notice that for quite some time now, I've taken an interest in the things that you do."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "You're quite wrong; I _have _noticed your interest. I simply mistook it for a prelude to stalking and chose to ignore it!"

Sirius stared at her for a moment before barking out a laugh. "It might interest you to know that if I intended to take up stalking you, I'd simply dive right in; there would be no prelude to warn you!"

Kate smiled back at him. "So you were planning to continue to stare at me from afar, were you? I rather thought we'd moved beyond that after my Quidditch lesson in Hogsmeade. Really, Black, this kind of behavior belies your reputation as Hogwarts' leading Lothario!"

Sirius' smile slipped a bit and his eyes grew cold. "You struck me as the kind of person who didn't listen to the wagging tongues of the Hogwarts' rumor mill. I guess I was wrong about that. I thought Evans was just concerned with trying to give James the run around. Apparently, she's not happy unless she's ruining things for _everyone_!" He rose and this time, it was Kate who was rendered speechless as the boy moved quickly through the portrait hole.

Kate shook her head. _What on earth is going on today?!_ She glanced around the room and located Remus, sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs in a far corner. Kate rose and walked over to him, sitting down on the ottoman at his feet. Remus looked up and smiled at his friend. "Hello, Kate," he said in his quiet manner.

"Remus, could I ask you a question?" Kate asked, watching as the young wizard's face grew more serious.

"Of course; what is it?" Remus' gaze was a bit wary as he waited for her to continue.

"Without giving away any Marauder secrets, could you tell me where Sirius might go if he was irritated or upset and wanted to be by himself?"

Remus' brow cleared and there was a slight pause before he answered. "If he wanted to be by himself, wouldn't it be better to just give him some time to sort things out?"

Kate exhaled sharply. "Remus, _please_. I'm the reason he's upset and I'd like to clear things up before he works himself into a state and convinces himself that I meant something I didn't."

Remus nodded. "I see what you mean." He thought for a few minutes while Kate fidgeted. "There are a couple of places he could be," Remus said. "There's a tapestry hanging on the fourth floor behind the statue of the one-armed knight. It hides a corridor that leads to an old, abandoned classroom. That's been Sirius' refuge of choice lately. If he's not there, try the Astronomy Tower. Other than that, I've no clue, but I'm virtually certain you'll find him in one of those two spots."

Kate gave his arm a squeeze and she smiled. "Thank you, Remus. Really, I appreciate your help."

Remus smiled back at the young woman, but grabbed her hand before she could leave. "Kate," he said quietly. "I don't know what you said or what might have happened between the two of you, but … be kind to Sirius, yes? If he doesn't want to listen, just say your piece and leave him be, alright? He'll come around if he has some time to just think about it all."

"Thanks, Remus." Kate crossed the room at a normal pace but once she reached the corridor outside the portrait hole, her pace quickened.

Deciding to try the abandoned classroom first, Kate ascended the staircases rapidly, praying all the while that they would not shift and send her off course. She was rewarded and reached the fourth floor without incident. Locating the one-armed knight was no challenge but Kate was forced to stifle a laugh at the expression of sincere surprise that had been carved onto the porcelain face of the statue as its gaze was fixed on the empty space in his tunic where his arm had once been. After composing herself, Kate located the deep blue tapestry and slipped behind it, unnoticed. The corridor was eerily dark and, once the tapestry fluttered back into place, the silence was so profound, Kate could hear her own heartbeat. She pulled her wand from its sheath in her robes and whispered, "Lumos"; immediately, the tip of her wand glowed brightly enough to light her way.

Kate crept down the stone corridor and presently discovered a wooden door – closed – to her left. Kate located the door handle then extinguished her wand. Turning the handle, she opened the door wide enough to enter the room then closed it silently.

It took Kate a few moments for her vision to adjust to the dimness, but once she could see clearly, Kate located a light in a far corner of the cavernous room. She took a step in the direction of the light and, to her dismay, kicked a wooden stool next to her foot that she had failed to detect in the dimness. The clamor rang throughout the room.

"Who's there?" came a loud voice from the corner. Presently, Sirius ventured out into the open, his wand drawn before him.

"It's just me, Sirius; it's Kate," she called. "I accidentally kicked over a stool."

"How did you know to come here?" Sirius stayed where he was, but, to Kate's relief, he lowered his wand. She resumed her slow walk toward him.

"Is that important?" Kate didn't want Sirius to be angry with Remus for telling her about one of his refuges.

Sirius shook his head. "I suppose not, although I can guess. Remus has a soft spot for you; I'd wager he spilt it."

Kate was now directly in front of the dark-haired wizard. "He has a soft spot for you, too, you know," she said.

Sirius snorted and said nothing further.

"I'm sorry," Kate told him softly. "I was teasing and it just came out. I didn't mean anything by it; it was a joke and nothing more. I certainly didn't intend to hurt your feelings; I would never want to do that. It just … came out," she said again, studying his face as additional possible arguments whirled around in her mind.

"I'm _not _a slut," Sirius stated quietly, lifting his chin as he did so. "I do _not _set out to be cruel to girls or whatever other tripe Lily Evans told you."

"She didn't call you a 'slut'," Kate said.

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, there's a mercy."

"It wouldn't matter what Lily said about you. She doesn't have permission to tell me who I may or may not like," Kate told him.

Sirius looked over at Kate. "You … wait; you like me?"

Kate nodded once. "I believe I just might," she said. "Despite the fact that you take off at a dead run rather than let me explain myself to you…and then hide yourself in a remote part of the school."

Sirius still looked at her, his eyes wide. "But even though I did those things, you still like me?"

"Yes."

"Even though you don't know me very well?"

"Yes."

"Even though I'm a Black?"

_Ah, so that touches on _this, _too. _"Sirius, I really don't care who your family is. I don't know them. I know you … a bit, anyway. I definitely think you're worth the investment of time to know you better. I think there's a great deal more to you than you let on – for whatever reason that is. I don't want to treat you the way Lily treats James and I _certainly_ don't want to be like all the other girls who moon around after you. I'm not the kind of witch who does that sort of thing." Kate took a deep breath. "I don't know what else to say to convince you."

Sirius looked at Kate for a long while – long enough that she had to fight to quell the urge to fidget under his scrutiny. Finally, he spoke. "Don't take this the wrong way, but … you're not just having me on, are you? Only, you don't seem the type, but no one's ever said that sort of thing to me, so I haven't anything to go on."

"I'm not 'having you on'," Kate assured him. "I wouldn't tease you like _that_."

Sirius almost smiled. "Oh, so you'd just tease me about being a player?"

"Apparently," Kate returned his smile. "But only once, if this is what happens as a result." She paused, gratified to see a more natural smile on his face. "So, am I forgiven?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes, you're forgiven."

"Good," Kate leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Let's go back to the Common Room, yes? It must be about time for dinner." She started to turn to head back out the door, but Sirius caught her arm and Kate turned to face him once again.

"I don't understand what I feel for you," Sirius said. "I mean, I like you – a lot – but I haven't felt like this before. I'm afraid I'll bollocks it up before I figure it out and …"

Kate interrupted. "I won't let you 'bollocks it up', ok?"

Sirius nodded. "Ok." Kate smiled and made to turn back to the door again. "Kate?"

"Yes?"

"May I kiss you?"

Kate looked closely at the wizard before her. His face held no pretense. Kate saw sincerity and no small amount of fear in his eyes as he awaited her answer. This was the expression she described to Lily earlier in the day. She knew her answer.

"Yes, please."

Sirius stepped closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. Slowly, as if frightened he would startle the witch, Sirius lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. It took only a moment before Kate returned the kiss. When they broke for air, Sirius pressed his forehead to hers. "Thank you," he whispered, his eyes closed.

Kate smiled and kissed his cheek. "Ready to go downstairs?"

Sirius nodded and caught her hand as they walked down the hallway toward the tapestry. "Kate, does this mean that we're …?" Sirius stopped her halfway down the hall and turned to look at her.

Kate raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Well, if anyone asks us, we can just say that we're figuring it all out. What do you think?"

Sirius thought about it for a minute and then smiled. "Serves them right, nosey buggers. That's exactly what we'll say!"

Laughing, they went through the tapestry and were still holding hands when they walked into the Great Hall, oblivious to the pointed looks cast their way by other students. Kate and Sirius slid into seats near their friends at the Gryffindor table. Remus caught her eye and gave her a broad smile to which Kate replied with a wink.

"Oi, Moony, are you winking in Kate's direction?" Sirius boomed, teasingly. "Because if you are, you should know that I'll have none of it!"

Remus shook his head and, with Sirius' gaze still on him, winked at Kate again. She giggled.

"Pushing it, Moony. Really pushing it!" Sirius laughed at his friend.

Kate chuckled again and then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Lily standing behind her. "Can we talk for a moment?" Lily asked her friend. Kate nodded and excused herself then followed Lily out into the entrance hall.

"Kate, I just wanted to say 'sorry'," Lily said when they had come to a stop. "I don't like being at odds with my friends – especially with you. You're my best friend, so it's even worse when something happens to us."

Kate smiled and hugged the other girl warmly. "You're _my _best friend, so thank you. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings."

Lily shook her head. "You didn't. You made me see reason; it was the reality that hurt. So, we're ok now?"

Kate nodded.

"Good," Lily responded. "Let's not do anything stupid like that again for awhile, yes?"

"Absolutely," Kate paused. "Except…"

Lily smiled. "Except that you and Black are an item now," she finished.

Kate shrugged. "Well, I think we've agreed to try to figure out exactly what we might be feeling, but we haven't gone as far as to say we're a couple."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm no expert, but is it _supposed _to be this complicated?"

Kate poked the other girl with her elbow. "Stop rolling those green eyes of yours," she laughed. "He kissed me," she added, watching Lily's face.

Lily smiled. "How was it?"

Kate's eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't exactly the response she expected. "It was nice," she replied, smiling softly.

"Dear _Merlin_, girl, you've got it _bad_!" Lily slung her arm over Kate's shoulders and began to walk with her back into the Great Hall.

"Maybe," Kate acknowledged. "But we're going to take it slowly, so no one gets hurt. If it doesn't work out maybe we can still be friends."

Lily paused. "Katie, I have the distinct impression that this will work. I've thought a lot about what you said earlier today. I don't think any of those dozy girls ever thought there was more to Sirius than great hair, a brilliant smile and a cute behind. You're different; you honestly believe there's a great deal more to him than meets the eye. I think you should keep at it. If anyone can figure out the puzzle of Sirius Black, my galleons are on you!"

"Thanks, Lils," Kate said. "He does, though."

"Does what?" Lily asked, confusion in her voice.

"Have a cute behind," Kate said, laughing and running ahead of Lily into the Hall.

Lily shook her head, hot on her heels. "Do I even want to know how you know that?" she hissed.

Kate turned. "Take a look for yourself the next time he's wearing those Muggle jeans of his. Those other girls might have been clueless, but they got that part right!"

The two friends laughed and continued on to the Gryffindor table where Lily shocked and delighted James by sitting next to him at dinner.

"Looks like things are improving for everyone around here," Sirius said quietly to Kate. "Did you have anything to do with that?" He gestured toward Lily who was at least making an attempt to listen to James.

Kate shook her head. "Complete surprise to me, too. It would be nice, though, wouldn't it?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't think we could live with him," he said, adding thoughtfully. "But it might be worth it to see them together – just to see how happy it makes James."

As he finished speaking, dinner appeared in large serving dishes and platters before them and the friends fell silent as they filled their plates and tucked into their food.


	8. Slytherins & Snowball Fights

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 8 – Slytherins & Snowball Fights

As autumn progressed to winter, the relationship between Sirius and Kate took firm root and began to develop in earnest. While James and Lily could not claim the same progress – indeed, any gains could be measured in inches – there _were _times when things between them seemed headed in a more positive direction.

Sirius was grateful that he did not have the ups and downs with Kate that his friend was forced to endure. Even at the tender age of fifteen – almost sixteen – Sirius could appreciate uncomplicated relationships; he had far too much complexity in his relationship with his family to suffer it anywhere else in his life – if he could possibly avoid it. While Sirius sensed that there was much more to Kate than she had so far allowed him to see, he was happy to allow things to play out in their own time.

Days became weeks, with a never-ending routine of classes, homework assignments and tests to occupy the friends' time. Then, one Saturday morning in late November, the first real snowstorm of the year greeted the occupants of Gryffindor tower's 5th year dormitories – and presented an opportunity for a little high-spirited fun.

"Prongs," Sirius called over to his friend from his perch at the window. When there was no response, the dark-haired wizard grinned widely and launched himself across the room and onto James' motionless form. "Get _up_!" he crowed, bouncing up and down.

James groaned and pushed his head further under the pillow in a vain attempt to block out Sirius' voice. When it became apparent that this would _not _be effective, the disgruntled boy threw the pillow at his friend. "Padfoot, what in Merlin's name are you _on _about?" He reached for his glasses and once they were in place, James looked at the clock in disbelief. "It's half seven," he said incredulously. "On a _Saturday morning_!"

Sirius stopped bouncing and looked at his friend. "It snowed last night. A lot. Huge storm. No one else is outside…"

James snorted. "No bloody surprise there…"

Sirius continued as if the other boy hadn't spoken. "…we've got it _all _to ourselves. And you _know _what that means…"

James raised his head and looked directly at the other boy as a smile slowly worked across his face. "Stockpile the ammunition…" he said quietly, his smile broadening.

Sirius nodded. "Then set the trap for Snivelly, Malfoy and the rest of their little gang." He paused. "Game?"

"I don't suppose I can talk you into breakfast first?"

Sirius snorted. "Not bloody likely, Prongs. Now, c'mon," he swung his legs to the floor. You wake up Petey and I'll take on Moony. We can eat breakfast after we've built up our arsenal. Besides, we need to pull our plan together, yeah?"

James grinned, nodded and threw aside his bed covers.

XXXXXXXX

Less than ten minutes later, a grumbling Peter and a not-quite-awake-yet Remus were marching along behind James and Sirius as the latter two boys led them to a specific spot well away from the front doors of the school. Their progress was impeded by the deep snow which, in the shallower sections, reached to the middle of their shins; some drifts brought the depth to their knees. Finally, after much huffing and puffing, Peter and Remus came to a sudden stop behind their mates. Looking around, Remus recognized that they had not traveled quite as far as he had thought. He smiled; Sirius had led them to the single point on the grounds that was not visible from any window of the castle.

Sirius caught his friend's grin and returned it. "Gentlemen," he said quietly. "Let's start building up our arsenal, shall we?"

For the next twenty minutes, James, Remus and Peter magically formed an impressive inventory of snowballs, all neatly piled. While his mates were so engaged, Sirius moved a short distance in front of them and worked diligently to form a solid snow fortress behind which the quartet would be able to hide when the fight began in earnest. Standing back to admire his work, Sirius turned to his friends.

"I think we're ready," he said, grinning. "Breakfast, anyone?"

XXXXXXXX

When the Marauders entered the Great Hall, they bypassed their usual seats along the middle of the Gryffindor table, preferring instead to situate themselves at one end – the end not coincidentally located directly next to the Slytherin table. As luck would have it, that general area of the Slytherin table was currently occupied by Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy and members of their gang.

"So," Sirius began in a stage whisper. "Did you blokes take care of it?"

James leaned across the table in an effort to appear discreet. "Put it right where you told us – 'round back; you know, our usual place."

Remus casually glanced over James' shoulder toward the Slytherins then looked at Sirius and dropped a careful wink.

"Are they listening?" Sirius muttered out of the corner of his mouth, his eyes focused on his plate.

Remus nodded and leaned toward his friend. "If Lucius Malfoy leans backward any further, he'll be on the floor," he whispered, eyes twinkling.

Sirius allowed one corner of his mouth to lift slightly and his head dropped in a barely perceptible nod. "Well, then. Let's finish up here and head out so we can get started, yeah?" Sirius said, stuffing the last triangle of toast into his mouth and looking meaningfully at his mates. His message was received as all four boys stood and walked the length of the Great Hall toward the doors. Once they had reached the entrance hall of the school, they cast surreptitious glances behind them to confirm that the Slytherins had, indeed, taken the bait. When Lucius Malfoy's blonde head passed through the doors of the Great Hall, they knew they had been successful and they quickened their pace through the huge front doors of the school and out into the chilly morning air.

"Still behind us?" Sirius whispered.

"Yes," James confirmed. "Though they're trying like hell to make us think they're just taking a walk!"

"Let's step it up, then," came the response and the boys increased their speed until the Slytherins were forced to almost run to keep them in sight.

Soon, the Marauders reached their previously constructed fortress and confirmed that their arsenal was still intact. As they waited, they heard the hushed voices of Lucius and Severus as they approached.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" James spoke the incantation clearly, while pointing his wand at two of the snowballs in the pile. "_Acceleratum!"_ he added and the white spheres flew through the air, arriving at the corner of the school just as the two Slytherin students came into view. Each hit its target square in the face, to the delight of the Marauders.

For one very brief moment, it seemed that time stopped as both Malfoy and Snape came to a halt, tightly compacted snow dripping from their faces and onto their cloaks.

Severus went for his wand first but out of nowhere, a snowball came flying and hit him in the back of the head. His wand dropped to the snow. Sirius looked at James then Remus then Peter and finally back at James. None of them had launched it.

Whilst Sirius had been preoccupied, Malfoy had taken advantage of his lack of attention and launched his own snowball, hitting Remus on the ear. That was it – the fight was on.

The Marauders sent one snowball after another and suffered their fair share of direct hits as well. Reinforcements from Slytherin came to join their comrades and more Gryffindors similarly arrived behind the fortress to fight with their house mates – Kate, Lily and Dorcas included. Just as their inventory was about spent, Sirius' head was whipped to one side by the force of a particularly well aimed snowball. He felt something warm on his face and, reaching up to feel his cheek, Sirius was surprised to find blood on his glove. As he did so, Sirius heard a triumphant shout from the Slytherin camp. Turning, he saw Regulus smirking in his direction.

"Serves you right, _brother_," the youngster taunted. "Fighting on the _wrong_ side – as usual."

Sirius took one step in the direction of his younger brother before James caught him by the arm. "It's not worth it, mate," he said quietly. "Not in front of Malfoy and Snape. Leave it."

"He's only _eleven_, Jamie," Sirius whispered fiercely.

James tightened his grip on his friend's arm. "And you know right well that he's only repeating what he's heard at home. Right?"

Sirius nodded tersely, his eyes glued to his brother.

"Then let it go," James replied. "Let it _go_," he repeated, shaking Sirius' arm briefly for emphasis. "It's only going to come back to bite you when you get home."

That seemed to get through to the other boy as he dragged his gaze away from Regulus, nodding at his friend. "Ok, Jamie," he said quietly. "You can let go now. I'm not going to go over there." James held on for another few seconds then removed his hand. After a few more taunting comments, the Slytherin crowd decided to call it quits and dispersed.

Kate came over to Sirius, pulling out a clean handkerchief and pressing it into his hand. "Put this on your cheek, Sirius," she said quietly. "It will slow the bleeding."

Sirius gave her a crooked smile and took the bit of cloth from her hand, applying it to his face. "Thanks, Katie," he said.

Remus came up to them, saying, "Let's have a look at that." He looked at Sirius' cheek for several moments before he spoke. "There's a shard of ice stuck in the wound," Remus said quietly. He removed his wand from his sleeve, pointed the tip at the cut and a moment later, the ice shard disengaged itself and floated to Remus' free hand. He pointed his wand at it again and murmured an incantation the others couldn't quite hear and his eyebrows rose in surprise. "It has a timed heating charm cast on it," he told the others, then muttered a quick healing charm. The wound healed immediately; no trace of it could be seen on Sirius' face. Remus turned away to find Kate watching him curiously.

"Nice work," she said, one eyebrow raised.

Remus reddened slightly but managed an embarrassed smile. "I was very clumsy as a small boy and we lived quite a distance from town. My mum used to use healing charms whenever I got a bump or bruise. It got so I memorized them."

Kate looked at him a moment longer, then smiled warmly. "Clever boy!"

Remus smiled in relief, but then went back to the cause of Sirius' injury. "That was fairly sophisticated magic, Sirius. Could Regulus have learned that at home?"

Sirius' face had gone pale when Remus had first discovered the shard. It had not yet recovered. "In _my_ house? With _my_ parents? Really, Remus; one can learn _anything_ from _them_." His tone was bitter and Kate stepped closer and rested her hand gently on his arm.

James spoke up. "I don't think Regulus cast the spell. You didn't see his face when Sirius first started bleeding. Unless he's an accomplished actor at eleven years old, he looked very surprised." He paused and looked 'round the circle of friends. "My money's on Snape."

"Isn't it always?" Lily asked, her tone direct.

"Listen, everyone recognizes that Snape is a genius in potions and I think they really overlook his talent with standard spell casting. He came to Hogwarts with quite an inventory of spell magic at his disposal," James responded, looking Lily right in the eye as he did so.

"So, it's alright to accuse him _this _time just because you put some thought into it?" Lily shot back. "Did you ever stop to think about _why _Severus might _have _such experience with...," Lily stopped suddenly as if she realized she might have said too much. "It could just as easily have been Malfoy," she added after a moment.

Sirius spoke up. "Doesn't really matter, does it? Regulus – my _brother_ – threw it." He straightened his arm and caught Kate's hand in his own – winding their fingers together tightly. "Let's go back inside. It's cold out here."

As they trudged back through the snow, Peter said, "Well, say what you want, but I'm never going to forget the sight of Snape standing there with snow dripping off that long, hooked nose of his!"

He was happy a moment later to hear the chuckles of his friends as they, too, pictured the scene in their minds.

"Hey," James stopped suddenly and looked at his friends. "Never mind the snow dripping off that nose of his; anyone see who threw the one that hit him in the back of the head?"

"I did," Kate said quietly.

Sirius looked down at her. "You saw who did it?"

"Actually, I threw it."

Sirius wrapped his arms around her and gave her a huge hug. "That's my girl!"

He released her finally, grinning widely.

"Kate," Lily admonished. "I can't believe you did that."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Lily, I saw him draw his wand and I had no idea what he was going to do. I didn't want anyone getting hexed over a snowball fight, so I did the first thing that came to mind."

"Brained the bastard!" Sirius chortled, mood much improved.

Lily shook her head but let it drop and the friends made their way back to the common room and the warmth of the fire.

XXXXXXXX

December arrived and with it, the excitement of the impending holiday season. The house elves had already put up Christmas trees in each of the houses' common rooms as well as in the Great Hall. Fairy lights twinkled on every bough where they nestled amongst all manner of glittering ornaments. Despite the stress of midterm exams, the students were in high spirits, eagerly awaiting the month-long break from their studies. On the Friday evening before the final, pre-Christmas Hogsmeade weekend, the Marauders, Kate and Lily were gathered before the common room fire, reviewing last minute purchases that needed to be made the following day. As the chatter and laughter escalated, Kate glanced over at Sirius, lounging in one of the overstuffed chairs near the fire. Although he had answered comments and questions directed his way, he clearly had other things on his mind. As if he felt her eyes on him, Sirius suddenly shifted his gaze and looked directly at Kate. He blinked a couple of times then smiled crookedly, winking at her as he did so. Kate returned his smile and moved to sit on the ottoman at the foot of his chair.

"What's on your mind?" Kate asked, leaning toward him.

Sirius shook his head slightly. "Not much, really. Still coming to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"

"Well...I don't know. I still can't forget what a great time I had with Remus on my first Hogsmeade weekend," Kate winked at him. "I suppose I _could_ go with him if you're too tired or have something else to do."

Sirius reached over and took her hands in his. "There's nothing more important to me than going to Hogsmeade tomorrow with you," he said sincerely, eyes locked on hers.

Kate's brow furrowed. "Sirius, what is it? You know that you can tell me anything."

He searched her face for a moment longer then shook his head. "Not this; not yet," he whispered. "I just can't …"

"It's ok," Kate reassured him, squeezing his hands. "You don't have to talk; I just hate seeing you out of sorts. You know that I'm here if you need me."

Sirius nodded and brought her hand to his lips briefly. "I know, Katie. Really."

Kate smiled softly. "Meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast first?"

Sirius brightened. "Absolutely. I'll save you a seat!"

"Hah! As if you'll beat me downstairs," Kate teased. "You've been quite the lay-about every morning, I hear; only getting up after James or Remus threatens to hex you if you don't!"

Sirius laughed. "Someone's been telling on me, have they? I'll have to look into that." _Katie, if you only knew how little I've been sleeping lately_, he thought to himself.

"Alright, then," Kate rose. "I'm heading up to bed; I'm exhausted … and I want to be _sure _I beat a certain Marauder to breakfast in the morning." She smiled at him and walked across to the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories.

"'night, Katie," Sirius called after her. "Sleep well."

When Kate retired, Lily and Dorcas were not far behind and slowly, the common room emptied until James and Sirius were the only two students left.

James sat in the chair opposite his best mate. "Lily says Kate's a great listener," he began but his friend cut him off.

"Leave it, Jamie. We're too new for her to find out about all the shite that goes with the Black family," Sirius said tersely.

"And "all the shite" is why you're not sleeping, right?" James asked pointedly.

Sirius didn't answer right away. "I have to go home for holiday break, James. Have to. I tried to get them to let me stay here, but dear old Mum and Dad wouldn't hear of it! They want their first-born home where he belongs; after all, there's just so much satisfaction to be had kicking the life out of the house elves!"

James reached across the space between them and grabbed Sirius' arm. "Padfoot, if they're being physically abusive…."

Sirius tugged his arm, but James tightened his grip. Changing his tactics, Sirius relaxed and gave James a grim smile. "Don't worry about it, Prongs. I'll be fine. I always am. It's usually not too bad. They get everything out of their system early and make me stay in my room the rest of the holiday. Rather peaceful, really." He attempted to pacify James, but his words did not match the expression on his face. James knew him well enough to see the apprehension in his blue eyes.

"Come stay with us, Sirius. Mum and Dad adore you, can't think why. They'd love to have you over at Christmas; might even be moved to put a present or two for you under the Potter family tree," James tried to lighten the mood and remove that look from his friend's face.

"Sorry, Jamie," Sirius replied. "It's Christmas at Grimmauld for me this year. Appropriately named, the Black family residence, isn't it?" He grinned. "Look, don't worry about me, yeah? Maybe they'll let me come back early this year – who knows? If they do, I'll owl you so you know it's ok. Meanwhile, let's not talk about this any more, ok? And please don't say anything more to Kate. Agreed?"

James searched his friend's face then answered. "Agreed. But, Padfoot – if you need anything, if things get too difficult, you'll find a way to get a message to me, yeah?" He squeezed Sirius' arm.

Sirius brought his hand and slapped it on top of James' for a moment. "Yeah, Jamie. Promise. Now, let's head up. Maybe tonight I'll actually sleep a little before dawn, ok?"

James nodded and the two boys rose.

"Jamie, promise me something?"

"Anything, Padfoot."

"Make sure I'm awake in time to get to the Great Hall before Kate, eh?"

James laughed. "I'll do my best, mate!"


	9. Brothers & Strangers

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 9 – Brothers & Strangers

As it so happened, Sirius did _not _beat Kate to the Great Hall for breakfast. In fact, he barely made it to the table in time to inhale some scrambled eggs and coffee before the students filed into the hall for the trip to the village.

"You realize, of course, that I won," Kate said to him, intentionally bumping him as they walked toward the front doors.

"Hmm?" Sirius was still a bit groggy; his sleep had been interrupted by a particularly vivid nightmare that he had not had since leaving home in September. Unwilling to face a recurrence, Sirius had forced himself to stay awake for the bulk of the night, falling asleep only a short time before dawn. James had heard what had been the tail end of Sirius' reaction to the dream and decided that his best mate needed his sleep more than he needed to beat Kate to breakfast; he had let him sleep.

"I _said_ that I w…," Kate paused and looked at Sirius' face as they walked through the doors. "Sirius, you look completely knackered. Didn't you sleep at _all _last night?"

Sirius looked down at her with a small smile. "I'm fine, Kate; really, I am. I just had a bit of trouble falling asleep last night. Must have been afraid you'd beat me to breakfast! Hey, suppose I could count that as a Prophesy for old Trelawney? I thought about it and it came true!"

Kate hesitated a moment longer; she wasn't fooled by his banter – his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Deciding that it was better not to push him, Kate smiled in return. "Well, I'll say one thing: this cold air will wake you up in short order! Good thing, that. You'll need all of your wits about you as I decide how you should pay your debt to me. I _did_, after all, beat you downstairs this morning!"

Sirius released a barely audible sigh of relief and reached over to take Kate's hand, twining their gloved fingers together. Spying James, Lily, Remus and Peter ahead of them on the path, he called, "Of _course_ you beat me to breakfast, Katie! _Your _mates probably woke you up on _time_…unlike my own _mate_! Not very sporting of you, Prongs. Now, I've got a debt to pay to Kate here because you were neglecting your promises!"

James turned and continued to walk – backward – as he addressed his smiling friend. "Perhaps I should tell Kate what a growling _cur_ you become if you don't get your beauty sleep, Padfoot!"

"_Padfoot_?" Lily looked at Sirius, then back at James curiously. "That's strange – even for you two! What does it mean?"

Sirius and James exchanged nervous glances.

"James warned you, Sirius," Remus jumped in. "If you continued to pad around the dorm in your smelly socks, he would find a very public way to embarrass you. Apparently, he's made good on his promise!"

_Nice one, Moony_, Sirius thought gratefully.

"Uh huh," Lily stood, head tilted to one side as she looked at the three of them skeptically. "And _'Prongs'_?"

Remus' quick thinking had pulled Sirius from his nervous stupor. "Well, Lils," he replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "if you think of the name long enough, I'm sure the meaning will come to you, but I _could _umm – _describe_ it to you, if you really want to know."

Lily's face changed from cynical to confused to horrified as she processed Sirius' response. Raising both mittened hands in front of her and backing away from the group, Lily responded, "That's fine, Black. I don't need any more information. I get the idea."

Sirius laughed. "Well, if you're sure, Evans. It's no trouble at all; I'd be happy to put your curiosity to rest…"

"Sirius, _shut up_," James hissed hurrying over to the blushing redhead and, grabbing her hand, hurried her away from the laughing boy. After taking a moment to compose themselves, Remus and Peter followed at a more subdued pace. Sirius shook his head, smiling then felt Kate tug his hand.

"Why do I think that you three weren't being entirely truthful?"

Sirius smiled down at her, re-twining their hands and taking a step toward the path again.

"Can't imagine," he responded. "Come on; let's finish shopping before all the good stuff is gone."

Kate smiled back at him and they resumed their walk toward Hogsmeade. As they walked, Kate tried to shake off the feeling that Sirius' recent dark moods, the air of sad apprehension that clung to him, were due to issues far deeper than lack of sleep. Kate renewed her decision to drop the matter and, hopefully, as a result, give the boy a brief respite from whatever was troubling him.

Moving along the narrow streets of the tiny village, Kate and Sirius periodically glimpsed their friends ducking in and out of stores; largely, however, they focused on the task at hand. Soon, Sirius' list was nearly complete and Kate, who believed in spontaneity in gift-giving, had finished making her purchases. They had just decided where they could go for Sirius to pick up his remaining items when commotion from across the street caught their attention.

Looking up, they saw James and Lily exiting Flourish & Blotts, the latter examining a long sheet of parchment as she walked, the former juggling a significant number of wrapped packages whilst peering through a small gap in the boxes.

"Oi, James," Sirius called, merriment in his voice. "That _is _you under there, isn't it, mate?"

"Shut _up_," James gritted out, stumbling slightly when his foot slipped on a bit of snow. He shifted right, then left – trying valiantly to keep the packages aloft.

"_Evanesco_," Sirius drew his wand and pointed at a section of the path closest to James' feet. Immediately, the snow vanished and dry earth was revealed. "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" came another spell and the packages floated away from James and, guided by Sirius' wand, landed safely on the exposed ground. Then, "_Minimus_" and the packages shrunk to a size small enough to be put in James' robe pocket.

"Thanks, Sirius," James said sincerely, retrieving the small items and placing them carefully in the inside pocket of his robes.

"Sincere, but insufficient," Sirius pronounced, taking a step toward the bespectacled wizard. "I will, however, allow you to accompany me and the lovely Ms. Morgan to Honeydukes, where you may thank me properly – with chocolate. Lots of it." Sirius finished, rubbing his hands together in exaggerated glee.

"Performing magic tricks in the street for candy, are we? Isn't that the sort of trick performed by trained _dogs_?" the low-pitched, condescending voice sounded from behind the group of friends. Sirius' smile slid from his face as quickly as it had appeared; he whirled around to find Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by Narcissa and Bellatrix Black.

Slowly, Sirius' posture changed, his chin lifting as his muscles tensed beneath his robes. His eyes narrowed and his voice matched Malfoy's in pitch; the sarcasm, however, was all his. "I wouldn't know, Malfoy," he drawled, his gaze slipping over to his two female cousins. "You seem to be the expert on _dogs_." His smirk fairly screamed lazy insolence, but his heart beat rapidly and his blood pounded in his ears. The pounding wasn't quite enough to block the sound of Bellatrix' outraged gasp.

"How _dare_ you," she began, her fingers tightening around her wand and her eyes glittering dangerously.

Malfoy never took his eyes from the young Gryffindor's face. "It's alright, Bella. It's obvious that Black isn't one of _us_, despite his name. This little Gryffindor has clearly had his head turned by the _wrong _sort," this last said as his eyes glided over the group of Sirius' friends, standing slightly away from the scene, but watching intently. His glance landed on Kate and he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully for a moment. Sirius' voice recaptured his attention a moment later.

"Don't you say _anything_ about my friends, Malfoy," Sirius took a step toward the blonde wizard and his two cousins.

"Ah, ah, ah," the taller wizard murmured, his face menacing. "Don't lose that famous temper of yours, Black. I can't believe you'd want your _parents_ to hear about any further _transgressions_ so close to the holiday, hmmm?" He smirked nastily as he watched Sirius' face go pale and his mouth _pop_ closed.

"That's right," Malfoy continued. "Fear is _such _a compelling motivator, isn't it?" He turned to his companions. "Come, ladies. We needn't ruin our afternoon any further by tarrying here." With a sweep of cloaks and malevolent glances at the group of students watching, the three Slytherins made their exit, moving quickly down the street toward Knockturn Alley.

Once they had gone, Sirius barely had time to exhale before the other Marauders were upon him, James in the lead.

"Alright, mate?" the messy-haired wizard asked quietly.

Sirius nodded. "Don't make a big deal of it, Jamie," he said, his eyes locked with James'.

James looked at his friend a moment longer then nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "Right. Let's go over to Rosemerta's for butter beer." He turned back to Sirius. "Meet you there, mate?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. I'll be right there."

Kate stayed behind while the others moved down the street toward the pub. She turned and laid her hand on Sirius' arm. "_Are _you alright?"

Sirius looked down at her. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He reached over and pulled Kate into his arms for a moment. "Gives you an idea of what life at home is like, doesn't it?"

Kate leaned back and looked up at Sirius' face. "You're so much better than they are, Sirius. I just wish that I could make you see that."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You do, Katie." He straightened up and looked over where his friends had so recently stood. He inclined his head in that direction and caught Kate's eye again. "And before you, it was those three. They saw past the "Black" name and accepted me as a person." Sirius paused and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "You saw past the name – and the rather unsavory reputation – and gave me a chance. Believe me; you've helped me more than you know."

"But there are things I can't help with; things you won't discuss with me," Kate said quietly, regretting her words as she saw the impact they had on the young wizard before her. Sirius' face closed and his eyes darkened.

"There are things I don't discuss with _anyone_," he said quietly. "No one can help with them."

Kate reached up to brush her fingers against his cheek. "But how can you know that if you won't even let us try to help?"

"Kate, just leave it," Sirius said, looking away from the disappointed look in her eyes as she took in his response.

The silence hung between them for a few moments before Sirius spoke again. "Come on, Kate. Let's go join the others. I'm freezing my bits off out here."

Kate nodded and stepped back from his loose embrace. As she turned to walk down the path, Sirius reached forward and caught her arm, letting his hand slide down and capture her hand. He gently tugged her closer to his side. "I'm sorry," he murmured. When Kate didn't respond right away, Sirius felt his heart drop. "Don't be mad at me," he added quietly, his voice sounding far younger than his years.

Kate squeezed his hand. "I'm not mad at you," she reassured. "I'm just…" _No, don't make it worse_, she thought to herself. "I'm not mad," Kate finished. She felt sudden pressure on her fingers and returned it. "Let's head over to Rosemerta's where it's warm, then." They quickened their pace and silently made their way to the pub.

Moments later, Sirius and Kate entered Rosemerta's Pub and quickly found their friends at a large booth in the back of the room. Glancing around as he shrugged off his cloak, Sirius was relieved to note that the Slytherin party was nowhere to be found. _Probably slithered their way over to the Hogs Head_, he snorted to himself as he slid into the bench to sit close to Kate. Thankfully, first years weren't allowed to participate in Hogsmeade weekends so he didn't have to worry about his younger brother…_yet_.

As they sat crammed close together in the booth, Sirius felt the tension in his muscles begin to relax. _This _was real. _These people__ were his family_. It didn't matter what Malfoy or Bellatrix or Narcissa thought or said; these people were the ones who mattered. With the ability peculiar to youth, Sirius pushed to the back of his mind all thoughts of _the Blacks_ and renewed his focus, instead, on the _family _that surrounded him. They would be separated from each other soon enough as it was.

XXXXXXXX

An hour of rather raucous conversation and much laughter behind them, the friends soon spilled out of the warm glow of the Pub and into the chilly, late afternoon air of Hogsmeade village. The sun was sinking slowly behind the Black Lake, taking with it any of the slight warmth it might have lent to the air. As the six friends made their way toward the main gates of the school, they looked forward to the evening meal, followed by time spent before a crackling fire in their cozy common room.

As they passed through the great stone pillars supporting the massive, wrought iron gates, a movement to his right caught Sirius' attention. He allowed himself to drop slightly behind the others as he tightened his fingers around the wand stored in his cloak pocket.

"_Lumos,_" he murmured, turning slightly and extending his wand. He caught his breath as the light from the tip of his wand revealed his brother, standing just beyond the path.

"Regulus," Sirius whispered and received a slight nod in return.

The sound of Sirius' voice had reached the rest of the group and they stopped, a few feet ahead of the two brothers, but close enough to provide support to their friend if needed.

"You shouldn't be out here," Sirius said quietly. "It's almost time for dinner and you're supposed to be inside."

Regulus shrugged. "I've been waiting for you to come back; I want to talk to you."

Without turning or taking his eyes from the boy in front of him, Sirius addressed his friends. "You go on ahead. I'll catch you up at dinner."

He heard James' intake of breath and knew his friend was going to attempt a protest. "Go on, James. It's just Reg, mate. Stop being such a big girl's blouse. I'm fine."

Sirius heard James huff indignantly but a moment later, the sound of snow crunching under boots told him that his friends had given in and headed back to the school without him.

"Well, Reg, here I am," Sirius began. "What did you want?"

The younger boy looked uncertain for a moment. His eyes, so like his brothers', reflected his unease; he hadn't yet learned to school his features to hide weaknesses. _That's one lesson you need to learn quickly, Brother,_ Sirius thought as he waited for his answer. _The consequences of being weak in front of the mistress of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black were dire, indeed_.

"Oi, it's cold out here, Reg," Sirius said as the silence stretched for a few moments longer.

Regulus took a deep breath. "I heard them talking in the common room, Sirius," the words burst from him in a rush. "I heard what they said about you. They…"

Sirius reached over and took hold of Regulus' shoulders. "_Who _did you overhear, Regulus?"

The younger boy shook off his older brother's hands. "Lucius, Bella and Cissy," he answered, taking a step backward.

_Bella and Cissy, is it?_ Sirius felt disappointment flood him. His brother had been well and truly pulled in. "And just _what_ did _Lucius, Bella _and_ Cissy_ say?"

Regulus met his brothers' eyes. "They said you insulted the _family_, Sirius. You called Cissy and Bella names."

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. "What? They were on about _that_?" he brought himself under control. "Listen, Reg, I didn't do anything I haven't done before. If any of those … _Slytherins_ … got their knickers in a knot over it, I can't help it."

Regulus stepped forward and pushed at his older brother. "_I'm _Slytherin, too, Sirius!"

Something in Sirius snapped and he grabbed his brother by the shoulders again but this time, he shook him hard. "_No!_ You're _not _one of them. I won't _let_ you be one of them, Reggie," his brother's face blurred in front of him as Sirius' eyes filled with tears.

"_Sirius_," Regulus shouted. "_Stop!_" He struggled against the stronger boy's grip and finally managed to wrench himself free, staggering backward a bit.

The two boys stood, breathing harshly, staring at each other. Sirius wiped his eyes roughly. "You're _not _like them, Regulus," he whispered finally.

Regulus shook his head. "You're _wrong_, Sirius. I _am. _You _should be_. Why do you have to fight them all the time? You know that they're going to tell Mother about what you did in the village today, don't you? And you know what will happen."

"They're wrong, Reg," Sirius said. "What they believe is wrong. We're no bloody better than anyone else. All that _'Toujours pur'_ shite is just bullocks, Reg! All it does is make people hate each other."

"I don't want them to treat me the way they treat you. I want things to be normal – the way they were before you came here. The way they were when we were both still at home," Regulus said.

Sirius sighed. "Things are never going to be that way again. I can't go back to being that little boy, Reg. I don't want to be like them and I wish you didn't either. The things they believe in; the way they live – that's not 'normal'."

"It's not _normal _to be friends with traitors and mudbloods, either, Sirius!"

Before he knew what he was doing, Sirius reached out and shoved his brother hard enough to send him to the ground. His breath came in short, white puffs on the evening air and his fists were clenched in rage at his sides.

"_Never_ say those things about my friends again. _Never!_" Sirius seethed. "You're like a bloody little parrot, repeating what you hear at home. Well, don't do it again in _my _hearing, Regulus. If you do, you'll get far worse than an arse full of snow!" And with that, he turned on his heel and walked the remaining distance to the castle. He never looked back.

XXXXXXXX

Two weeks later, the six were gathered in the Gryffindor common room, trunks piled next to them, moments away from the departing whistle of the Hogwarts Express.

"You'll be ok, right?" Kate asked Sirius as they stood with their arms around each other.

Sirius smiled. "Yeah, I'll be fine, Katie. Don't worry; it'll ruin your holiday. I'll see you back here in January, yeah?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah; you'll see me back here in January. But, Sirius, in the meantime, you can owl me if there's anything you need. You know that."

Sirius leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, Katie, I know that. You just have a happy Christmas. Really. Don't worry."

Kate looked at him doubtfully but knew she'd make no new progress in the short time they had left. "Ok. We'd better get going. We don't want to miss the train."

They levitated their trunks through the portrait hole and down the staircase into the hallway. As they stood on the school steps while elves magically loaded trunks onto carriages, James came up behind Sirius and placed his hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"You can still come to my house for the holiday, Pads," he whispered.

Sirius turned and smiled at James gratefully. "I know, Prongs, but I've been commanded to be at Grimmauld; there's nothing for it – I have to go. If things get sticky, I'll owl you, ok?"

"Alright; enough of this, then. Let's get on one of these bleeding carriages and head to the train, eh? Maybe we can cause some mischief before we hit London." James grinned and galloped down the steps to the waiting carriages.

Sirius took a moment longer to watch Kate onto a carriage with Lily and then he followed James into the one he'd taken.

They hadn't even boarded the train yet and Sirius was already longing for the end of the holidays.


	10. Mothers & Children and Family Secrets

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Ill-treatment of children (i.e. Walburga Black makes her presence – and displeasure well known).

Chapter 10 – Mothers & Children and Family Secrets

Sirius stood in the entrance hall of Grimmauld Place as the solid front door closed behind him. The normal, early evening sounds of residential London were abruptly silenced as the latch clicked and the magical locks slid smoothly into place. Regulus, warmly welcomed, had ascended the staircase to his room, his trunk whisked ahead of him by the family's staff of house elves. Sirius' trunk still stood next to him on the floor, where it had been unceremoniously left by those same elves.

"Sirius," the imperious voice of Walburga Black drifted from the library. "I believe I told you that I wished to speak with you. I will not tell you again."

With a sigh, Sirius closed the distance between himself and the black oak door of the family library. He stood, leaning against the door jam, loathe to take the final few steps that would complete the trip.

"Come in here, Sirius," commanded his mother, seated behind the large desk before the window. She gestured toward one of the two leather chairs in front of the desk. "Sit down. _Now!_"

There was no mistaking the steel resolve in her tone and Sirius lifted himself off the doorway and did as he was bid. Seating himself in one of the uncomfortable chairs, Sirius wondered idly if his parents purposefully charmed them to cause discomfort to ensure that they had the upper hand from the beginning of each interview they held. Shifting a bit, he decided that this was _exactly_ the case.

Sirius looked across the vast expanse of his father's desk; his mother sat completely immobile, her posture rigid. Her white skin was offset to perfection by the deep green dress robes she wore and her black hair, only slightly touched by silver was upswept and captured in a clip of emeralds and diamonds. Her blue eyes, so like his own, glittered like ice and her crimson-stained lips communicated her displeasure more than any speech she could have delivered. Sirius unconsciously straightened his own posture. Despite Walburga's silence, Sirius knew a lecture was certainly forthcoming. He had been here before.

As if on cue, she took a deep breath and fixed her elder son with an even more intense glare. "I have been informed of your most ill-advised behavior during the last school-sponsored visit to Hogsmeade village. It is bad enough that you – a member of a _most_ revered Pureblood family – would choose to associate with those considerably _beneath_ us. _No_," Walburga held up one elegant hand to stop Sirius from responding, having heard his sharp intake of breath at her last comment. "Your comments do not interest me, nor are they relevant to this discussion. I am well aware of your position about those people. The Potters are a Pureblooded family, that is true enough; they have, however, fallen away from the old beliefs, the old ways. That stands them in a lesser position amongst the Purebloods of our world. The Lupin boy; well, John Lupin is a Pureblood, true, but he works for the Ministry and, of course, married a half-blood. In addition to _that _transgression, as if his unfortunate marriage wasn't _enough_, there have long been rumors about some … _abnormality_ with the boy," she paused and peered even more sharply at her son. "I don't suppose that you know anything about _that_, do you?"

Sirius fought gamely to keep his anxiety from showing on his face and averted his eyes from the piercing gaze of his mother. Walburga was a superb _Legilimens_ and had attempted to penetrate her sons' minds in the past. Strive though he would to keep his own secrets from the Black matriarch, Sirius was terrified that his efforts to hide Remus' condition might not be enough. Glancing up, Sirius was relieved to see that his mother was contemplating the large emerald and diamond ring on her right hand, apparently having recognized that Sirius would _not _make _Legilimency _easy for her.

"Very well," she stated, her voice deceptively impassive. "I will leave that point for now; it is a minor issue of curiosity, after all. It hardly matters in the scheme of things. Let us continue examining the contacts you have made for yourself; those which you continually refuse to cast out. Where was I? Oh, yes, the Pettigrew boy; as bitterly stupid and weak as his father ever was, but he, too, has ancient, untainted blood in his veins. He's made a poor choice, but his mother has always been a sympathizer of Dumbledore, Pureblood as she is, so with his father gone, Pettigrew has little example to guide him, has he? Clearly, _you _cannot be counted upon to provide a fellow Pureblood with a clear path." When Sirius continued to remain silent, Walburga's frown deepened, but this was the only outward sign of her escalating frustration. Sirius knew, however, that this would not long be the case.

"Lily Evans is a topic I will _not _dignify with comment. I have shared my views with you before now. The only saving grace I can find in that situation is the fact that _you _have not been so ill advised as to bed her. Oh, yes, my son," Walburga leaned forward, a malevolent smile on her lips. "I am well aware of your youthful indiscretions in the boudoir – amongst other places. There are those well-placed at Hogwarts who are only too happy to report your … shall we say _activities_ … to me."

Sirius could not keep the hatred from his eyes but his expression otherwise did not change. He was fortunate in that his mother had decided to move in for the kill and did not examine his face more closely. Walburga did not react well to anything other than complete obedience – delivered with total respect – from her children.

"Now that this unfortunate behavior has come to light, let us examine it further. You have, despite the presence of many suitable Slytherin witches, taken up with a young witch with questionable family loyalties, despite the purity of her blood. She _does_, however, seem to have the good sense to have kept _you _out of her bed." Walburga rose and came around the desk to perch on the edge of it, directly in front of Sirius. "I intend to ensure that you are unsuccessful in that endeavor," she purred. "Morgan's family is _not _up to our standards with her father a coward and her mother an idiot. She must surely be at Hogwarts due to some type of Wizard debt by Dumbledore – or out of _pity_."

Sirius could keep silent no longer; he was trembling with rage – much to the amusement of his mother, who had done everything she could to provoke it. "You _shut up_ about Kate," he began, only to be rewarded with a stinging slap to his face. He never even saw Walburga's hand move. "You don't know anything about her," he continued and Walburga drew back her hand and delivered another blow to the opposite cheek.

"Pray, Sirius, do not make me continue this," Walburga murmured. "We are having guests for dinner this evening and I would like to be relaxed to entertain them."

Sirius blinked back unwanted tears; while this was not the first time his mother had disciplined him in this manner, he had had no time to prepare himself and therefore the pain was far greater. A motion from the woman in front of him put him on his guard and he looked up. Walburga had drawn her wand from the pocket of her robes and was pointing it at Sirius' face. "_Abstrego_," she whispered and immediately, the pain and heat in his face were gone. "There," she said, returning her wand to her pocket and returning to her seat behind the desk. "All better. I trust there will be no repeat of this punishment this evening." It wasn't a question.

"Now, tonight, the Malfoys and your cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa will be joining us for dinner. I was appalled to hear of your insult to the girls when you encountered them in Hogsmeade. You brought great shame to this family with your disrespectful comment. You will make an apology to Lucius, Bella and Cissy prior to our other guests' arrival. Do you not care to know who will dine with us?"

"Does it make a difference if I do?" Sirius asked, preparing himself for some retaliation from his mother - shocked when none came.

"None," Walburga smiled, waving her manicured hand in dismissal. "But I will share the details with you nonetheless. You see, Sirius, when you were but a small child, your future was uppermost in our minds. Your father and I wanted to make certain that the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black continued its line of Pureblood wizards and witches and you, as the first born son, were pivotal in that plan. Our second cousin, Eduard Bullstrode had recently welcomed a daughter, Ofelia, to his family. Your father and I met with Eduard and his wife, Lucretia, and indicated that we would be open to a marriage between our two houses. We agreed that we would revisit the arrangement when both children turned sixteen. As you have now reached that age, they will be joining us this evening – all three of them – to allow you to meet each other. Further discussions will ensue should a formal betrothal be acceptable to the Bullstrodes." Walburga paused. "Unfortunately, the Bullstrodes have certain … _concerns_ about you, based on your behaviors at school. Their son, Arturo, is a seventh year Slytherin and has shared many stories with them. They are coming here this evening to have them proven untrue." She came around the desk once again but this time she came behind Sirius' chair and rested her hands on her elder son's shoulders. Walburga leaned down until her mouth was level with Sirius' ear. "Rest assured, my son, you _will _prove them false tonight. You will behave as the proper heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black or you will bear the consequences. Do I make myself clear, Sirius?"

Sirius did not answer immediately, thoughts of a formal betrothal sending panic through his system. As a result, Walburga tightened her hold on his shoulders until Sirius felt the pinch of her long fingernails through his robes. Swallowing hard, he nodded his head. "Yes, Mother. You make yourself _quite_ clear," he replied and was relieved when Walburga removed her hands.

"Excellent," she said, smiling falsely. "I would strongly encourage you to retain that cooperative demeanor, Sirius. I have never shied away from administering appropriate punishment for your transgressions and have no inclination to change my position in the matter. What promises you make to me in this room now will be executed thoroughly at dinner this evening. If they are not, you will pay dearly."

"Are we finished here?" Sirius asked as respectfully and quietly as possible.

"Almost," Walburga responded. "I have just one more thing to say to you, Sirius. If you _ever_ put a hand – or wand – upon your brother again, I will exact his revenge for him."

Sirius looked up at his mother, his face registering his surprise. _What was she on about? I've _never _lain a … _oh_. _Sirius recalled his frustrated shove that put Regulus on the ground – arse first – on that infamous Hogsmeade weekend.

"Ah, yes," Walburga smiled coldly. "I see that you have remembered. Finally. See that you recall my words with greater facility in future. Should you fail to do so, the resulting retaliation will _not _be undone with a simple healing spell, I can assure you." She walked around the desk and sat, hands folded on its surface.

"You may now take your trunk upstairs and shower and dress for dinner. Dress robes, if you please. That's all."

Sirius rose and left the room, taking every ounce of restraint he had left to ensure the door did not slam behind him. With a sinking feeling in his stomach about the evening to come, he levitated his trunk and guided it up the narrow staircase to his room.

XXXXXXXX

"Mother? Are you here?" Kate called as she set her trunk down in the front hall of her home. She glanced in the parlor, only to find the room empty. Kate moved down the hallway, glancing in the library and what had been her father's den when he was alive.

Kate was just about to ascend the staircase to search the bedrooms when her mother appeared at the head of the stairs.

"Kate, welcome home, darling," she called. "I'll be right down."

_Well, that sounds normal,_ Kate thought gratefully as she went back to the living room and fell onto the couch. _Wonder how long it will last…_

"Kate," came her mother's voice from the doorway. Kate rose to greet her mother and found herself in the middle of a stifling hug from the older woman. Kate drew back after a moment and looked at the woman before her. Felicity Needham Morgan was quite a bit taller than her daughter, pale of complexion with startling green eyes and red hair. As a young girl, growing up in London, she had been possessed of a great – if fragile – beauty, the remnants of which were still visible. She was now given to plumpness as she indulged her love of sweets – and periodically, an overabundance of sherry – to while away her days now that her husband was gone and her daughter was firmly entrenched at Hogwarts.

"It's so nice to have you home, Kate," Felicity said again. "Let me look at you." She took a step back and looked at her daughter. Smiling mischievously, Kate did a small pirouette for her mother, who laughed before inspecting Kate again with a more critical eye.

"You're thinner, I think," Felicity said as she and Kate sat next to each other on the couch.

Kate rolled her eyes. "I fail to see how that could possibly be the case. There is generally enough food to feed all of Britain at each meal!"

Felicity smiled indulgently. "Well, to your _mother_ you look thinner. How _are _you?"

"I am fine – not thinner. Not. And I love school. The teachers are wonderful – _much _better than in Salem," Kate enthused.

"Are you making any friends?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, I'm getting to know several students in my year." She hoped her mother wouldn't pursue the line of questioning. She loved her mother dearly, but she was, in Kate's opinion, a bit _too _enthralled by the connections Kate might be able to make whilst at the prestigious school.

Felicity leaned forward, clasping her chubby hands together on her lap and smiled conspiratorially. "I'm sure these "students" have names, have they not?"

Kate sighed. "Of course they do, but I don't think you'd know them. Really, they're just _friends_, Mum."

Felicity maintained eye contact with her daughter, although her smile slipped slightly.

"Fine. My best friend is Lily Evans; she's in my dorm. Dorcas Meadows is a friend of ours, as well. How's that?"

Felicity's eyes narrowed a bit. "Two witches? In three months? Kate, you had loads of friends in Salem! I would have thought…."

"Yes, I had _loads_ of friends there, didn't I?" Kate's voice rose a bit. "And not one of them there for me in the end. I don't much fancy another lot of _false_ friends at _this _school, Mother!"

Felicity clasped her hands more tightly together and Kate was dismayed to notice that her mother's lower lip had begun to tremble a bit. She mentally cursed herself for inadvertently giving her mother an opening for one of her emotional episodes of self-pity.

"Well, Kate," Felicity's voice trembled. "You needn't remind me how difficult life was after your father … _died_. You were not the only one who suffered betrayal at the hands of those you considered friends. You know very well that I was fairly _shunned _by the families who had welcomed us so warmly in the beginning. You know the impact it had on my nerves. I just …," she paused, searching in the pocket of her robes and withdrew a lacy handkerchief with which she daubed the corners of her eyes. It did not escape Kate's notice that there were no tears to absorb; this demonstration was entirely for Kate's benefit…_and _designed to put the spotlight squarely back onto her mother.

Kate was brought out of her thoughts by the small sniffling sounds her mother had begun to make. _Dear Merlin_, Kate thought. _Mum's beginning to show all the signs of a full crying _jag_. _Desperate to avert a long and stressful walk through Felicity's most horrible – and largely embellished – memories of that time, Kate cast around for something that would bring her mother away from her current topic.

"Would you like some tea?" Kate inquired lamely, leaning over and patting her mother's hands. "I'll just go fetch some. You just sit and … well, clear up a bit and I'll be right back."

Her mother nodded and gave Kate a rather trembling smile and the girl quickly rose and made her way through the hallway that led to the kitchens in the back of the house.

"Missy Katie!" the high-pitched and delighted voice greeted Kate as she crossed the threshold into the large kitchen. She turned in the direction of the sound and smiled broadly at the little house elf standing at the stove.

"Goldie!" Kate replied crossing the room and enveloping the older elf in a warm hug. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Goldie wiped her eyes on the handkerchief she pulled from the pocket of her work smock. "Goldie is happy to see Missy Katie! Is you home for long?"

"I'm home for the Christmas holidays, Goldie; a whole month!"

Goldie's oversized ears wagged enthusiastically and the house elf nodded and clapped her hands. "Mistress will be so happy! She is lonely with only Goldie in her house. No one ever comes to visit us. We is all by ourselves now you is gone to witches school!"

Kate chuckled. "Hogwarts is for wizards too, Goldie!"

Goldie nodded. "Yes, Missy. Mistress said that maybe you is finding nice boy wizard from the school."

Kate frowned. _Well, it's only to be expected, isn't it? If you can't improve your social standing on your own, have your daughter marry it for you!_

"Well, I think I'm a little young for all of that just yet. For now, I thought I might fetch tea for Mother and I."

Goldie suddenly began bustling about the kitchen, urging Kate to return to the living room to visit with her mother while she prepared the tea and brought it to them both. Finally, after her protests failed to convince Goldie that she could easily prepare tea on her own, Kate gave in, kissed the little house elf on the top of her head and retraced her steps to the living room.

Entering, she found her mother seated where she had left her, but her mood seemed to be improved.

"Goldie will bring the tea along shortly," Kate said, resuming her seat. "Now, where were we?"

Felicity's smile was back in place. "You were telling me all about your friends at school," she replied.

Kate refrained from rolling her eyes, happy that the potential histrionics had been averted. _Oh, well,_ she thought_. I might as well get this over with._

"Well, there is a group of four boys in Gryffindor whom Lily, Dorcas and I are friendly with," Kate confided, secretly amused to see Felicity's eyebrows rise at the word "boys".

"Well, well," her mother simpered. "And who are these knights of Gryffindor?"

This time, Kate could _not_ stop the roll of her eyes at her mother's choice of phrase. "Really, Mother. They're hardly that! Let's see, there's James Potter…"

"Harold and Jane Potter's son?" Felicity clarified. "Oh, Kate, they're one of Britain's oldest wizarding families. A lovely couple, as I recall. You could do much worse than James Potter."

Kate gritted her teeth, but was given the chance to compose herself as the rattle of porcelain and silver announced Goldie's arrival with the teacart. Once Felicity had poured out and the two women were sipping tea, Kate felt sufficiently recovered to answer her mother without any sharpness of tongue.

"James Potter is not interested in me, Mother," she said. "But we are friends – after a fashion, I suppose. He's very much interested in Lily Evans," Kate smiled in spite of herself.

Enjoying the chance at a good gossip – even if she only vaguely knew the players, Felicity smiled. "And how does Miss Evans feel about this?"

Kate laughed easily. "Well, in the beginning, she just wanted to hex him most of the time. Lately, though, I think she's begun to warm up to him. It's fairly day to day, though."

Felicity shared Kate's laugh. "That's generally the way things are at first. Do you think they will end up together?"

Kate thought for a moment. "Well, none of us is really old enough to make that sort of decision yet, but he certainly seems to have eyes only for Lily – even now. But, will they end up together? I'm not sure." She paused and smiled again. "But I'll say this – I hope so."

Felicity nodded then prompted her daughter to continue. "So, there are three other boys?"

Kate nodded and quickly moved through Peter – about whom there was generally less to say and then Remus. Felicity had heard both family names and did seem to remember something odd being connected with Remus and his family, but she never knew any details. In typical fashion, Felicity cautioned Kate to keep her guard up around Remus – at least until she could perhaps discover the nature of what she referred to as the "Lupin Family secret".

"He's very nice, Mother. Quiet, a really good student – just a very nice wizard," Kate assured her mother. "He's become quite a good friend. I don't think there's anything too terribly mysterious about Remus – unless it's how he can be so patient around James and Sirius! When the two of them start plotting mischief, it's…." Kate paused, noting the sudden pallor of her mother's face. "What is it, Mum? Are you unwell?"

Felicity's hand trembled as she put her cup and saucer on the tea tray. Kate rose and sat next to her mother on the loveseat. "Mother, please! What is it?"

Felicity turned to look at Kate. "'Sirius'? Would that be Sirius _Black_?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

Kate nodded, feeling suddenly chilled. "Yes. Mother, what's wrong?"

Felicity closed her eyes. "How well do you know him, Kate?"

Kate felt her frustration rise. "No. Not until you tell me why you're acting like this; why you're asking these questions!"

Felicity opened her eyes and looked directly at her daughter. "The Black family was one of the reasons your father moved us to the States. Indirectly, that boy's family caused his death!"


	11. Dinners & Announcements

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Cruelty, mild violence.

Chapter 11 – Dinners & Announcements

Sirius took one final look at himself in the full-length mirror. He wore the formal dress robes dictated by his family custom: black velvet waistcoat and long coat worn over a pristine white linen shirt. His trousers were of black wool with a sharp crease; highly polished black leather shoes completed the outfit. _I look the part – even if I don't _feel_ it_, Sirius thought to himself as he stepped out into the hallway, quietly closing the door behind him. As he made the turn toward the staircase, the sound of a door closing down the hall caught his attention.

"Regulus," Sirius greeted his younger brother before continuing on.

"Sirius, wait," Regulus quickened his pace as he saw his brother slow down then stop at the head of the staircase.

"We have to get downstairs," Sirius said to him. "You know how Mother is if we're late." He paused for a moment. "Haven't you learned how to tie one of those things yet?" Sirius gestured to his brother's tie, which was skewed to one side.

"Not without magic," Regulus replied, frowning.

"Here," Sirius released the tortured fabric then caught his brother's eye. "Come over to the mirror." Once the younger boy came to a stop in front of the huge mirror, Sirius positioned himself behind Regulus and brought his hands around to where the tie was hanging. "Watch me. Fold, twist, pull, tighten and flatten the ends. Got it?" Regulus nodded.

"Good. Let's go before … well, let's just go," Sirius said, taking his brother's elbow and urging him toward the stairs.

"Sirius, wait. I wanted to tell you something," Regulus said as he tried to keep pace with his longer-legged brother.

"Tell me while we walk," Sirius said, continuing down the stairs.

"I didn't tell her what happened," Regulus said.

Sirius stopped at that. "Didn't tell her what?" He knew exactly to whom Regulus was referring.

"I didn't tell her what happened at school. You know. Between you and me," Regulus said, watching his brother carefully.

Sirius' eyebrows rose. "If you didn't … wait, did you tell anyone else?"

Regulus flushed. "Severus asked me how I managed to get soaked through when I hadn't been outside all that long. I was angry with you, Sirius; I told him we'd fought."

Sirius let out a sharp sigh. "And Snape told Lucius who told Narcissa…"

"… who told Mother," Regulus nodded. "I'm sorry, Sirius."

"Yeah, well, if it hadn't been you, Snape would have found out from someone – and Mother would have been told in the end," Sirius said with finality. "No worries, Reg. I'm not mad at you. Now come _on_, before she sends that little toe rag, Kreacher, after us."

The two brothers descended the final flight of stairs, arriving in the front entrance hall just as the doorbell rang.

Walburga and Orion Black emerged from the parlor, adorned in their finest dress robes. Walburga took her place behind her two sons, resting her glittering fingers on their shoulders as her husband opened the door. Both Sirius and Regulus craned their necks to get an advance glimpse of their guests; slight pressure on their shoulders caused them to straighten their posture once again. They didn't have long to wait before the Bullstrodes stood before them. Four of them, contrary to Walburga's earlier statements; Eduard and Lucretia's younger child, their son, Percival. Sirius inwardly smirked. _Poncey little thing. If I'm meant for Ofelia, Reg is in for a long night entertaining _this_ one!_

Eduard was unchanged from Sirius' last memory of him. A tall, slender man, Eduard Bullstrode oozed power and position – both of which he had in vast quantities. He had made his fortune abroad, masterminding numerous investment deals in which his own returns had been staggering – even on occasions when his partners had lost everything. Eduard had a reputation as someone with an uncanny ability to pull out of an opportunity at just the right moment – having realized the optimum return – leaving others to scramble to save their own stakes. While there had been much grumbling about Eduard's "luck", no one had ever been able to prove that his actions were unethical. Indeed, in the rare instances when someone attempted to do so, they were rarely heard from again; it was a powerful deterrent to more focused inquiries. Eduard became a particular favorite of Walburga's early on when a brief business sojourn to America resulted in significant losses to a wide range of Muggle investors. If there was anything Walburga respected, it was a wizard who knew how to take advantage of hapless Muggles. If that wizard happened to be a member of the family, Walburga's favor knew no bounds.

Eduard's wife was of medium height with a buxom figure and a taste for the finer things in life. Fortunately, her husband could more than indulge her. This evening, she was dressed in elaborate dress robes of deep forest green satin, her evening cloak trimmed in luxurious silver fox. Her blonde hair was swept into a chignon, held in place by a diamond and platinum clip. Diamonds hung from her ears, around her throat and adorned her fingers. While the effect would be gaudy on some women, Lucretia made it look elegant.

As the Bullstrodes surrendered their cloaks to Kreacher and turned to be embraced by the elder Blacks, Sirius had his first look at Ofelia. While she matched him in height; her coloring and physical characteristics, however, mirrored her mother. Even at the tender age of 16, one could clearly see the beautiful woman the young girl would become. Physically, Ofelia was gorgeous – and highly desirable – as long as one didn't spend a great deal of time looking into her eyes; they reflected the same icy shrewdness found in Eduard's gaze. Disconcerted by what he saw, Sirius looked away, studying the portrait of his grandmother hanging in the large hallway; as usual, she was frowning down at him.

Percival was, at 10, the unfortunate recipient of the worst of his parents' traits – both physical and in personality. He was of medium height for his age, but quite plump; it was obvious that he did not regularly indulge in any form of exercise. His expression could best be described as "put upon", as if dragged to the dinner party quite against his will. Sirius snorted to himself. _I can relate._

"Welcome, Eduard, Lucretia and, of course, lovely little Ofelia," Walburga was murmuring. "And Percival; how handsome you've grown to be. We're so fortunate that your whole family could join us this evening. Let us settle in the parlor for drinks, shall we? Sirius and Regulus will certainly enjoy entertaining Ofelia and Percival before dinner," shooting Sirius a meaningful glance, Walburga shepherded the group into the parlor, followed closely by her husband. While Orion mixed drinks for the adults, Walburga discreetly slipped into the hallway to summon Kreacher and arrange for an additional place setting for Percival.

Walburga had just reentered the parlor and accepted a drink from her husband when Lucretia asked, "But where are your lovely nieces, Bellatrix and Narcissa? I was so looking forward to seeing them again."

Walburga cast a knowing glance at Orion, who spoke, "They sent an owl to us barely an hour ago with their regrets. At the last moment, they were called to attend a _gathering_ with Lucius Malfoy and will be unable to join us. The girls expressed their keen disappointment at missing you, Lucretia. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to come together before the holidays are over."

Lucretia made a small noise of disappointment. "Well, I will comfort myself with the thought that their change in plan was quite unavoidable, then."

Orion glanced at his wife for a brief moment before murmuring, "Unavoidable, indeed."

Sirius found himself wondering what had caused Malfoy and his detestable cousins to miss the evening's festivities – but that thought was quickly chased away by the realization that he would now be able to avoid apologizing to the three gits in front of his family. The thought raised his spirits to the point that he favored Ofelia with a genuine smile that made her eyes widen and her cheeks flush prettily as she walked through the door he held open for her.

Once everyone was seated with their beverages (butter beer for the younger set), the Blacks and the Bullstrodes fell into a conversation that did not include the children. As Lucretia had said once settled, "You children can certainly find something amusing to talk about whilst we adults renew our acquaintance."

Thus assigned, _the children_ situated themselves in one of the corners of the room and began to make their own acquaintances.

XXXXXXXX

Kate sat at the dinner table awaiting her mother's arrival for their evening meal. Goldie had set the table for two and had retreated into the kitchen to make sure all would be ready when Felicity finally arrived.

Kate rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin on her hand. Her mother had fled the room after her melodramatic outburst about Sirius' family and their supposed link to both their relocation to the States and her father's untimely death. There had been no opportunity for further discussion. A knock on her mother's closed bedroom door had yielded the promise of answers over dinner – provided, of course, that Felicity had recovered sufficiently to come downstairs to join her daughter at table.

Kate sighed and shifted in her chair. Her mother had always had a bend toward melodrama; it was one of the personality quirks that Kate found most frustrating. Felicity was from one of the oldest families in Wizarding Britain – a family with tremendous social standing in Pureblood circles and tremendous wealth in _any _circle. An only child, Felicity was the center of her parents' universe. Educated at Beauxbatons, Felicity was educated not only in magical studies, but also in the etiquette requirements of her class, as well. She was molded to take her rightful place in society; to marry from the Pureblood elite. Felicity was intended to move in the right circles, bear a minimum of two children to ensure the continuation of the line and socialize with families such as the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Bullstrodes and others of that ilk. Her parents did not foresee Roderick Morgan's entrance into their daughter's life.

Roderick Morgan, too, was from a Pureblood family but, unlike the Needhams, Blacks, Malfoys and others, they did not embrace the Dark Arts. He respected his family traditions, which went back to the very earliest records of Wizarding Britain, as well. The more recent generations of his family, however, hailed from Salem, Massachusetts, where his ancestors had relocated back in Puritan times. Roderick knew persecution – and its place in his family's history. Stories of long-dead family members caught up in the Salem witch trials had been told and re-told ever since he was old enough to listen and understand their meaning. Long a lover of history in general and his own genealogy in particular, Roderick didn't have to work too hard to persuade his parents to allow him to wander through Wizarding Britain with a group of friends for a time after his graduation. They made him a present of the trip, giving him an entire summer to explore. Roderick's parents were both respected Healers in Salem's largest Wizard hospital and the expense was easily absorbed. Roderick was still uncertain of his own future and it was hoped that he would "find himself" during his summer abroad. What Roderick "found" was Felicity Needham and his single summer vacation became a transatlantic _relocation_ that lasted almost 13 years.

About a month after his arrival, Roderick's best mate had received an invitation to a "big society do" where he was promised free-flowing champagne, lobster and all other manner of delicacies; all because he agreed to escort a very lovely young witch who turned out to also be a member of the English aristocracy. The only catch was that he needed to find a date for _her _best friend, a lovely non-titled young witch by the name of Felicity Needham. After enduring a thirty-minute session of a mixture of badgering, humorous persuasion and, finally, threats to his person, Roderick agreed to trade his longed-for night in for dress robes and a formal party. It was a life-changing decision. From the moment Roderick saw Felicity he knew he was lost. Everything about her entranced him – from the red curls piled high on her head to her expressive eyes, from her voluptuous figure to her tinkling laugh and breathless voice – Roderick thought her the most perfect creature he'd ever seen. For her part, Felicity was similarly enamored. Their romance was well and truly born that evening and over the subsequent weeks, the two young people were inseparable.

Eventually, inevitably, Felicity invited Roderick home to meet her parents; Roderick had already expressed his desire to marry the young woman – a fact they decided to keep just between themselves for the time being. Once they knew how their respective families felt about the object of their affections, they could easily announce their intentions and begin making plans for their futures. Roderick Floo'd his parents to tell them of his plans to remain in England for the foreseeable future, citing Felicity as one of the primary reasons for his decision. His father, with some misgivings, gave the young man the names of several contacts he had within the Ministry, in hopes that Roderick's outstanding academic record might secure him some worthwhile employment. Roderick's parents then wished their son well and sat back, hopeful for his success, but also hoping that he would not keep himself away from home for a protracted period of time.

As luck would have it, Roderick secured a research position with the Ministry that paid him a salary sufficient for him to lease a modest flat not far from the Ministry offices. Within six months, he had been promoted to the position of Unspeakable, with a sizable salary increase – and a secure future. He and Felicity announced their marriage plans to her parents over dinner a week later. Roderick's good fortune came to an abrupt end.

The sophisticated, well-connected Pureblooded Needhams were quite certain that the Morgan's blood, while Pure, was not up to their aristocratic standards. With the natural snobbishness peculiar to their class and heritage, they considered Roderick's American citizenship another black mark against him. Despite Roderick's well laid-out genealogy that showed his impressive British ancestry, the Needhams were not moved. Even Felicity's impassioned pleading, followed by a veritable flood of tears, only slightly weakened her parents' resolve. It was a disappointed but determined Roderick Morgan who left the Needham's townhouse that evening. He had transferred his entire life from one country to another. He had found the woman of his dreams. He was not going to back down so easily. To his dismay, however, an assignment in Scotland pulled him away from London for a week. He sent an owl advising Felicity of his unexpected travel requirement and received a response that made him smile, _"Don't worry, darling. I will continue my efforts to persuade Mother and Father. Ever yours – Felicity."_

Indeed, Roderick's determination paled in comparison to that of his intended. If Felicity had learned anything during her life so far, it was how to bring her parents around to her way of thinking. When two days of melancholic drifting from room to room failed to achieve success, Felicity retired to her bed, refusing to join her parents for meals and accepting only water and digestive biscuits for nourishment. When her concerned parents came to her room to assess matters, Felicity greeted them with detached courtesy and little in the way of conversation. After a further three days of this behavior, the family Healer was summoned to examine her; when he finished, he grimly told the Needhams that their daughter was in grave danger of spiraling into a depression that potentially could not be reversed. Frantic, Mr. and Mrs. Needham promised their daughter whatever she desired if she would please come back to them. Unsurprisingly, Felicity's detached manner faded a bit upon hearing their promise and she promptly announced that she would quit her rooms and resume her life – as Mrs. Roderick Morgan. The Needhams had no choice but to agree, but Felicity soon realized that in winning the battle, she had most definitely lost the war.

Rather than the opulent, aristocratic event of the season, the Needhams advised the young couple that their wedding would be significantly less lavish – with a small wedding party and a limited guest list. In the end, slightly more than one year to the day that the couple first met, they were married in the home of the bride, with approximately 50 guests present. Roderick's parents were not unaware of the tension that existed between their son and his new bride's family, but in the face of his happiness, they refrained from probing questions. Two days later, extracting a promise that the newlyweds would come to Salem for an extended visit before too long, the Morgans kissed their son and new daughter warmly and Floo'd back to the States.

Kate smiled as she thought back over the story told her by her mother, father and paternal grandparents. It was only though the perspectives and diverse personalities of the individual storytellers that Kate was able to put together a cohesive story. Over the years, as she had gotten older, she was able to analyze and understand some of the more subtle nuances of the story, as well – an ability that became more important to her after her father's untimely death. The thought of her father's fate dropped the smile from her face as she recalled her mother's emotional flight to her room several hours before. As if on cue, a rustling sound brought Kate's attention to the doorway where her mother hesitated, watching her daughter closely.

"You looked very much lost in thought," Felicity said quietly.

Kate nodded. "I was waiting for you and my mind wandered." She stopped and gave her mother a wry look. "Are you really going to make me yell across the room to you all through dinner?"

Felicity shook her head and returned Kate's smile as she swiftly crossed the room and leaned down to kiss her daughter's cheek before taking her own seat at table. Picking up the small bell by her plate, Felicity shook it once and Goldie appeared in the next moment, placing covered dishes on the table before them.

When she had gone and the women had begun their meal, Kate cast a guarded look across the table at her mother. "Could we continue our earlier conversation once dinner is over?"

Felicity nodded and looked directly at Kate. "You may not wish to hear what I have to say, however. I, too, did some thinking after I went upstairs and have reached some conclusions with which you may not agree."

XXXXXXXX

Sirius pushed his asparagus around on his plate, his boredom reducing the conversation around him to a dull, droning sound. He wondered for the hundredth time exactly how long dinner was supposed to last; he longed to be back in his room and away from the cloying personalities gathered 'round the Black family table – particularly Ofelia, seated to his immediate left.

The 'cocktail hour' might have been enjoyable for the adults, but Sirius did not enjoy the time he was forced to spend under the cool scrutiny of Ofelia Bullstrode. At just 16, the girl already had all the characteristics of a good Slytherin 7th year and Sirius had never had much to do with Slytherin girls of _any _year. _This one _would certainly lead any wizard a merry chase. Unthinkingly, Sirius had allowed a small smile to cross his face and, regrettably, it was noticed by Walburga, seated directly across from him.

"Something has amused you, my son," she commented, her eyes glittering as she smiled tightly at him.

Sirius started slightly at the sound of her voice. _Think!_ "Not _amused_, Mother," he said quietly, returning her gaze. "I was just thinking how much I enjoyed Tillie's cooking."

Walburga looked slightly disappointed. "I'm sure the house elves will appreciate your compliment," she returned. "Perhaps you can enlighten our guests with deeper conversation. Something a bit more stimulating than our dinner menu."

_What _now_?_ Sirius groaned inwardly.

"How is the Quidditch season shaping up at Hogwarts this year, Sirius?" Eduard asked, leaning back in his chair and sipping from his sherry glass.

"It's coming along well," Sirius replied, adding, "Sir," at his mother's barely perceptible cough.

"Slytherin expected to take the Cup this year?" Percival queried, smirking at Regulus as he asked.

Sirius shrugged. "They're ahead by 10 points in the standings, but that can change at any time."

"Who is their most likely rival?" Percival pressed.

"That would be Gryffindor, I believe," Sirius clenched his hands where they rested on either side of his chair. He wondered if their elder son, Arturo, had put the Bullstrodes up to the line of conversation or if his mother was continuing her quest to bait him into bad behavior that she could punish him for later on.

"Don't you play for Gryffindor?" Ofelia asked. "It seems that my brother mentioned something about that when we last spoke."

"Yes, actually, I do. I'm a Beater for the Gryffindor team," Sirius responded.

"Well, then," Lucretia offered. "You should be well able to _ensure _a Slytherin victory, shouldn't you?" When Sirius didn't reply right away, the woman glanced around the table, smile faltering slightly. "Did I say something I oughtn't?"

"No, no, Lucretia. You've said nothing amiss." Walburga paused, fixing Sirius with a hard look. "Sirius, our guest has asked you a question; answer her, please."

Sirius took a deep breath before answering. "Actually, Mrs. Bullstrode, I'm not sure what you mean." _There, that might buy me some time_, he thought.

"Well, dear, I know so little about these things, of course, but it would seem that your sorting into Gryffindor was some type of freakish mistake. I mean, _really_, the Black family has brought honor to the great House of Salazar Slytherin for generations. Clearly, you could accidentally do _something_ during the match that would not only ensure Slytherin the House Cup but could also restore you to the _proper_ House; put this whole Gryffindor experience well behind you." Lucretia said, her smile back in full force.

Sirius closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them, he was staring straight into the blue eyes of his mother. Walburga was watching him expectantly, a grim smile on her own face. _I can't do this_, Sirius thought to himself.

"My sorting wasn't a mistake, Mrs. Bullstrode," he said quietly, never taking his eyes off his mother. "The Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes, as I've been told many times. I also can't cheat in the match for the House Cup. Slytherin is just going to have to win it outright – on their own."

Walburga's face was whiter than chalk by the time Sirius finished his answer. She drew breath and was about to speak when she was interrupted by loud laughter. Walburga turned to see Eduard's face red with merriment. "Bravo, Sirius! Make your fellow Purebloods work for something for a change! Good for you! If it's all handed to us, how will we be strong enough to stand together when it comes time to fight for our standard of life?" He shook his head. "No, I think Sirius has the right idea. Toughen up some of our pampered boys before the _real_ fighting starts. Maybe the Sorting Hat had _that _in mind when he placed you in the House of our enemies!"

Sirius felt slightly ill as he listened to Eduard Bullstrode's pompous speech. The only benefit appeared to be the return of normal color to his mother's face as she gave Eduard a sincere smile and lifted her own glass of sherry in his direction in salute. "Point well made, Eduard and thank you," she said. "Orion, wasn't there something you wanted to say to us this evening?"

Sirius' father nodded, catching the eye of the other adults and smiling at them, as well. "As you know, when Ofelia was born, Eduard and Lucretia agreed that we would potentially seek an alliance between our two families through a potential liaison between our two children: your lovely daughter, Ofelia and our elder son, Sirius. Tonight's dinner was intended to revisit this potential alliance by introducing these two young people to each other," Orion paused to glance at the young people seated to his left. "While both are still young and have their education to complete, as the head of the Black family, I want to state that our interest still exists and that the next year should be spent allowing Sirius and Ofelia to get to know each other in preparation for their possible, formal union in one year's time."

Sirius' nausea worsened as he listened to his father's words. He didn't want to be committed to Ofelia – _now _or in 'one year's time'. While he still couldn't name what he felt for Kate, Sirius _did _know that she was the one he wanted to be with _now_.

"Papa," Ofelia spoke up, her voice trembling. "How am I to get to know him over the coming years if I am at Beauxbatons and he is at Hogwarts?"

"Ofelia, one moment, please," Eduard spoke to his daughter before turning his attention to his host. "Orion, I am impressed with what I have seen and heard from young Sirius this evening. He has the looks and, it appears, the cunning to bring fresh strength to our House. I am not completely satisfied, however, that the stories shared with us by my son, Arturo, are not completely true. Your elder son has something of a wild reputation at school. He is also reputed to be friendly with those whose blood is not as pure as our own. I must be assured that his ways will change and that he will be a suitable partner for my daughter before I agree _not _to pursue other … _affiliations_ on her behalf for an entire year?"

Walburga leveled her gaze at her son. "I can assure you that our son _will _change his ways. We will personally see to it." Her tone was so chilling that Sirius shivered inadvertently.

Eduard looked at his wife with a small smile then looked back at Ofelia. "In answer to your question, darling, your mother and I have made arrangements for you to transfer to Hogwarts immediately following the Christmas holiday. You will have adequate time to spend with Sirius and get to know him more fully throughout the remainder of the year."

Ofelia clapped her hand over her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. "But Papa, my friends," she said, her voice trembling. "I do not wish to leave them."

"You will make new friends, Ofelia. You must do this for our family. It has been decided; no more talk now," Eduard replied softly.

The look Walburga gave Sirius was triumphant as the boy's heart dropped into his stomach and his mind was filled with one thought:

_Kate_.


	12. Confrontations & Resistance

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Cruelty, mild violence.

Chapter 12 – Confrontations & Resistance

Kate sat back in her chair and waited while Goldie cleared the remnants of dinner from the table.

"Thank you, Goldie," Felicity said, smiling at the house elf. "If you wouldn't mind, we'll take coffee in the study."

Goldie nodded enthusiastically, her overly large ears waggling with the effort.

"Kate?" Felicity rose and gestured toward the door. Kate sighed and rose, walking a few paces ahead of her mother as they made their way to her father's study.

As Felicity crossed the room and settled herself at her late husband's desk, Kate wondered if her mother thought she could channel some of Roderick's resolve by doing so. Noting that her mother was gesturing to the guest chair before the desk, Kate took her seat, folded her hands in her lap and waited for Felicity to speak.

"Kate," she began, stopping and fidgeting with her hands where they rested on top of the large desk. "Kate…"

Felicity was granted time to compose herself as the aroma of freshly made coffee preceded Goldie into the den. The house elf poured the steaming brew into two mugs then took her leave.

Kate took a sip of her coffee then looked directly at her mother. "How did the Blacks cause Dad's death?"

Felicity took a deep breath. After a moment, she started to speak. "You've heard your father's story – and mine – since you were a very little girl. You know that your father's family had roots here, in Wizarding Britain, but that they relocated to America generations ago."

Kate nodded. "But, what does that have to do with Sirius?"

"Kate, you are going to have to let me tell this story my own way and in my own time," Felicity admonished. "It's not an easy one to tell. Please." When she saw Kate settle back in her chair, she continued. "Thank you. Now, the early generations of the Morgans had very similar beliefs to those held by my own family – and the Blacks. Pureblooded families have always had a great regard for the old traditions and their esteem for the old ways gave them a respectability that, in turn, resulted in tremendous power. Your father's family here retained the old ways and, as a result, their power. The branch that broke off and settled abroad eventually became less committed to the old beliefs. They were less concerned with the purity of one's blood and more with character. The Blacks – and the Needhams, come to that – believed in the advancement of the Dark Arts – and the use of Dark Magic to control those who were identified as less than Pure. The various families of similar mind had always moved in the same circles. As those with beliefs similar to your father's grew in number, the Pureblooded families began to grow fearful that they would soon be outnumbered. Quietly, Purebloods began to plant seeds of discord within our world, spreading half-truths and outright lies that cast half-bloods – and less than half-bloods - in a suspicious light. Highly placed Pureblood families began working on the next level – those Purebloods who believed in the old traditions but who, perhaps, did not initially embrace the thought that those less Pure than themselves deserved to be 'winnowed out'." Felicity paused and tapped the side of her cup to re-heat the coffee inside. After taking a deep swallow, she took up her story again. "After working on their own, with little success, they brought a more subtle version of their campaign to the Ministry, working on contacts they had within those walls. With their own class, they'd succeeded in convincing some families in their entirety whilst splitting or fragmenting others. With the Ministry, their success was much greater. As the Ministry regime remained static, Purebloods who held positions within those halls grew restless – particularly those with great ambition and a thirst for power. Unlike your father, these were Purebloods who longed for social position. They were ripe for suggestion that half-bloods and Muggles were holding them back; the seeds took hold. Many of these Ministry employees held positions of moderate influence; some had the ear of members of the Wizengamot. The Pureblooded families had only to sit back and watch events unfold." Felicity paused again.

Kate had listened intently, but was quickly becoming impatient as her mother had still made no concrete connection between Sirius and her father's death. She shifted in her chair and exhaled loudly. "Mother, _please_," Kate said, her frustration clearly evident. "I really do appreciate the history lesson, but could you please get to the point? How on earth did Sirius' family contribute to Dad's death?"

Felicity put her cup and saucer on the table. "Alright," she said finally. As Kate continued to pointedly stare at her mother, Felicity's eyes closed and she appeared to gather her thoughts. Finally, she opened them, fixed her gaze back on her daughter and began to speak.

"After your father and I married, he continued his work within the Ministry. Naturally, my family felt protective of me, particularly when families such as the Blacks began infiltrating our government. Orion Black put considerable pressure on my parents to convince your father of the logic of Pureblood beliefs. Ultimately, he cornered him one evening at a Ministry reception. My parents spirited me away to chat with 'old friends' while Orion went to work on Roderick."

"He pressured Father to help turn others to the Dark?" Kate wanted to know.

Felicity nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes. Your father was an Unspeakable; you know this." At Kate's confirming nod, she continued, "You also know that the work of the Unspeakables is fiercely protected from outside knowledge." Kate nodded again. "Orion Black – along with others, I'm sure – felt that the Unspeakables held the key to great power within the Ministry. All that was needed was to learn exactly what the Unspeakables did, then determine how it could be turned to his advantage. Needless to say, Roderick did not divulge any information – despite considerable pressure." Felicity paused, lifting her chin as she recalled the pride she had felt for her husband that night.

Kate's eyes widened. "What happened?"

Her voice hard, Felicity replied, "When they rejoined us, Black appeared far less self-possessed than he had earlier in the evening. I knew something had happened. Your father seemed agitated, as well - which for Roderick was a very unusual state of being. After once again drawing my father to one side and exchanging a few words, Orion took his leave. Eventually, over dinner, your father seemed to return to his usual good spirits. Once or twice during the evening, however, Black or his wife crossed our path and Roderick again became visibly tense. I asked him about it, but he brushed it off and asked me to dance."

Kate smiled. "Father was always good at protecting us, wasn't he? Never wanted us to see the darker side of things if he could help it. What happened with Grandfather Needham?"

Felicity's smile disappeared at the question. "My father's brief conversation with Orion Black was as unpleasant as the one Black had with Roderick. The following morning, after your father had left for the office, your grandfather came to visit me. He spent a great deal of time reminding me of our family's social standing and how precarious our position could become if we abdicated our responsibilities to our class." She shook her head slightly. "Looking back, I think that your grandfather had finally begun to realize that Black would stop at nothing to achieve his own end; as a result he was no longer exclusively concerned about himself and the family _name_. In addition to that, he needed to make sure that Orion Black did nothing to damage the _family_."

"Did you tell Father about Grandfather's visit?"

Felicity shook her head. "No. I told your grandfather that I had no interest in anything Black had discussed with either of them. At the time, I thought it was all silly political maneuvering and that my father was simply over-dramatizing the situation. He still wasn't pleased with my choice of husband, you see, and I felt that your grandfather was simply taking the opportunity to give me yet another reason why."

Kate nodded. "Please, go on."

Felicity sighed. "We were so young, your father and I. Young and in love. I think that your father's eyes were opened a bit after his confrontation with Black but as the months wore on and nothing further was heard from that corner, he relaxed a bit." Felicity paused again and smiled at Kate. "Of course, not long after that, I discovered that I was pregnant with you, so we had more pleasant diversions to occupy our time. Throughout my pregnancy, your grandfather became more attentive to your father and me. At the time, I put it down to his happiness at your pending arrival but, in hindsight, I wonder if it wasn't something more. I now feel that your grandfather may have been even more wary of Black and his cronies than he might have let on. He may well have feared that Black would not stop at using me to get through to your father."

"Surely, Father possessed no great power or influence at the Ministry," Kate reasoned. "Even as an Unspeakable, there was only so much that he …"

"_As an Unspeakable_, your father wielded _enormous_ power. Everyone knew that Unspeakables were involved in the most complex and high level projects – most of which could significantly alter our world. If one were able to turn an Unspeakable, to convince them to reveal details of their work and then to _influence_ the direction of that work, imagine the power one would hold!" Felicity interrupted her daughter, her voice rising as she spoke. "Kate, _think_! Orion Black and many like him had agendas that would elevate Purebloods above all others in our world. If those agendas were executed as the Purebloods wished, anyone who was not a Pureblood could have been subject to possible violent attack with no accountability or consequence. And that violence could easily extend to the Muggle world, as well."

Kate shivered. She knew that Sirius had a most unhappy home life and now she could better appreciate the circumstances – _and _why he was reluctant to discuss them. She turned her attention back to her own mother. "But the Purebloods must have backed off. You stayed here for such a long time."

Felicity nodded. "For whatever reason, the Ministry campaign appeared to wind down, although the basic movement itself continued at a different level. During the months leading up to your birth, there were sporadic reports of Muggle baiting, and random attacks on half-bloods. Nothing more than we'd ever seen, really, except they ranged further afield than they had in the past. Your father was no longer subjected to pressure from Black or any of that crowd and so things eventually went back to normal." Here, the older woman paused and gave Kate a warm smile. "Well, for awhile anyway. After you were born, we rather redefined 'normal', but in quite a wonderful way."

Kate felt her cheeks flush with pleasure at her mother's words, but she was anxious that Felicity continue the story. A moment later, as if Felicity had read her mind, she did so.

"I taught you at home whilst you were still small: you learned to read and write as well as manage some basic maths, but when you turned seven, it was time for you to go to day school to learn with other witches and wizards your own age. Things went along well for a couple of years then, one day, when I arrived at school to fetch you home, I noticed a man standing at the edge of the schoolyard. He didn't approach you or attempt to attract your attention in any way; he simply watched as you played with your friends and waited for me to arrive. When I reached you, I took my eye off him long enough to greet you and when I turned back in his direction again, he was gone. There was something familiar about him, something I couldn't quite place at the time. I felt anxious, however, and mentioned it to your father later that evening. I half expected him to wave off my concerns as an overactive imagination, but he did not. Roderick announced that he would be collecting you from school from there on in and if the man appeared again, at least he would get a look at him."

Kate nodded, thoughtfully. "I remember that suddenly it was Father who was coming for me each day, but he told me that he was working a bit later each day and he thought this would give us more time together."

"Mmm. Well, he wouldn't have wanted to frighten you, would he? I also suspect that his answer was more truth than excuse, you know," Felicity replied. "He never felt that he was able to spend quite as much time with you as he would have liked."

"Did the man ever come back?"

"Twice. The first time happened several months later; your father saw him as he approached the school, much as I had. Whilst the individual didn't seem to notice me until I'd reached you, he recognized Roderick virtually immediately. He turned and left the moment he saw him."

"Did Father recognize him?" Kate had a feeling she would not like the answer.

Felicity nodded. "Not then. But the second time, yes. You'd just turned ten and were all excited about attending your first party at the home of one of your classmates. Your father was going to deliver you to the party. When he arrived at school, he saw the man walking slowly across the schoolyard toward the place where you and your friends had gathered. Roderick's appearance again caused the man to flee, but not before he was recognized. It was Cygnus Black, Orion's brother and a leading supporter of the 'purification of our world'." Felicity closed her eyes and shivered at the memory. "Much to your disappointment, Roderick brought you home immediately."

"I remember being so angry with both of you over that," Kate said quietly. "I didn't understand why you wouldn't let me go to Rosalie's party. All Father said was that it wasn't possible any longer and that we were going home straight away." She looked over at her mother and shook her head. "I didn't take the news very well at all, did I? I think I stayed in my room for all but meals for the entire weekend."

Felicity nodded. "How could we have told you the truth? You would have been frightened, and rightfully so. Your father had not been completely truthful with me regarding the advances Black and his crowd had made within the Ministry since their campaign began. "Muggle baiting" had become second only to Quidditch in sporting popularity. Wizards who married Muggles or Muggle-borns were included in their cruelty and the laws were quietly amended to make prosecution of perpetrators very difficult indeed. Truth be told, the 'purification' beliefs had permeated corners of the MLE division and most of these cases were not given a great deal of priority attention. It appeared that the Purebloods were becoming more organized and that their cause, as it were, was gaining more followers. Most frightening was the growing rumor of a powerful, Dark wizard whom the Pureblood families believed could be the figure head needed to champion the campaign for purity in our world. The following week, Roderick met with my father and told him about Cygnus Black and his visits to your school. They both felt that these three visits were not the only ones that had been made and, in the end, your father decided that we could no longer safely remain in England. He began to make plans for our departure."

"But you stayed here for almost a year after that," Kate said. "If things were so dire, why did you wait?"

Felicity sighed. "No one knew exactly what all of this meant: Cygnus Black loitering in schoolyards, rumored Dark wizards rising to restore our world to proper Pureblood order. Were other Unspeakables experiencing the same things? Was your father singled out for some particular reason? No one could say. We decided it was best to avoid the appearance of urgent flight. Roderick quietly contacted his parents in Salem and told them that he was moving back to the States with his family and cautioned them against mentioning their return to anyone in the short term. After much debate, Roderick decided that we should not tell my parents of our relocation until the very last moment – and, even then, we would not disclose our destination. Your father finished all projects assigned to him then resigned his position with the Ministry the day before your 11th birthday."

"And then he met with Grandfather and Grandmother Needham," Kate supplied.

Felicity nodded. "While your grandfather had come to the realization that Orion Black and his group had become virtual vigilantes for the purification cause, he still could not quite believe that they would physically harm any Pureblood – particularly children. His response was that the Blacks were simply using scare tactics to get to Roderick. They hinted that by running, Roderick was simply casting himself – and his family – in a bad light. Your father assured him that his reputation in the British Wizarding community was worth far less consideration than the safety of his family. That silenced them for a bit, anyway. Of course, they found their voices again when they demanded to know where we were going and your father refused to tell them. After an hour of arguing, Roderick announced that if they didn't know their whereabouts, they would be safe from any more of Black's scare tactics and left. We took a Muggle airplane to Boston the following morning."

"How did Sirius' family cause Dad's death?" Kate asked quietly.

"We lived in Salem for 4 years, as you know. Your father worked for the American Ministry's branch in Boston. He no longer wished to work as an Unspeakable as he considered it far too dangerous an occupation for a wizard with a family. Instead, he became Head of Special Investigations for the MLE. That division had a partnership arrangement with the Muggle FBI office in Boston."

"The Muggle FBI knew about our world?" Kate's voice rose in surprise.

Felicity nodded. "Oh, yes. Of course, that knowledge wasn't shared with anyone outside their offices; local Muggle law enforcement had no idea, nor did the local Muggle government. There are places where Wizards and Muggles work together quite well – when both sides are accepting and tolerant of each other's world. When disappearances and unexplained attacks began happening in the States, your father immediately recognized that they mirrored incidents that had happened here 4 years before. When the FBI and Roderick began a joint investigation, the name Rosier surfaced, followed by Cygnus Black."

"The man who had been watching me at school; Sirius' uncle," Kate interjected.

"The same. I'll never forget your father's face when he came home the night Cygnus Black had been identified as being part of the violence happening to American Muggles," Felicity's pale face tightened as the memory was made fresh by the retelling of those days. "He knew that the rumored Dark wizard was no rumor; indeed, it had been proven that the man was slowly amassing power on an impressive scale. What your father didn't know for certain was whether these American attacks were ordered by the Dark wizard or carried out by others in hopes of impressing him."

"Which was it?" Kate's voice was barely a whisper.

"It appears that the Rosier family – as well as the Blacks – were acting independently in hopes of impressing this new wizard. The FBI located Cygnus Black and passed on his address to your father in the MLE. Roderick sent a team to the location and brought him into headquarters for questioning in two particularly vile Muggle attacks. Black didn't have much to say until Veritaserum was administered. He then began to speak of the new Dark wizard's commitment to the restoration of a Wizard world governed exclusively by Purebloods, one that would extend beyond the borders of Britain and into the Wizard communities elsewhere in the world. His followers were growing in number and would soon gain sufficient strength to make his plans reality. Until that happened, Black and Rosier had decided to show him their loyalty by bringing their purification efforts to the States. Boston was an easy choice given its proximity to Salem and the thriving Wizard community in the area. Based on Black's rambling, the MLE located and apprehended Rosier, who – again under Veritaserum – confessed to the Muggle attacks. He was deported back to England, tried for violent crimes abroad and sent to Azkaban," Felicity told her.

"And Cygnus Black?"

"They had no choice but to let him go. After all, Rosier had confessed to the Muggle attacks; all Black had done was play the sycophant for this new Dark wizard, extolling his virtues … and, of course, disclosing Rosier as complicit in the attacks. Rosier was quite undone about that, according to your father. He'd given Black a split lip before the MLE could bring him under control. Black would soon face worse and he knew it. Purebloods look after their own – they don't turn them in. The moment Cygnus Black came back to Britain, he would certainly face the consequences," Felicity said.

"And did he?"

"In a way. The FBI followed him for several days after his release, based on your father's thought that Black might have converted operatives in Boston to help him in his schemes. One night, Black disappeared. Your father sent a team of MLE and FBI agents who scoured the area but couldn't find him. Toward midnight, the FBI received a call reporting two injured men in an alley near the outskirts of the city. The joint team responded and found Black, eyes glazed, barely alive, suffering the after-effects of multiple curses. There was nothing they could do. He died shortly after their arrival," Felicity's voice was barely audible.

"You said there were two men," Kate reminded her, feeling her stomach clench as she spoke.

Felicity began to cry softly. "The other man was your father. The Killing curse had been cast. The MLE concluded that Black and your father had dueled. Based on the scene, the agents said it appeared that Black waited until your father's back was turned before he cast the Killing curse." She paused in an effort to bring herself under control.

Kate felt tears fill her own eyes. _Sirius' uncle killed my father_. She was silent for some time, thinking about all she had heard. Something didn't feel right. Suddenly it occurred to her. "Mother, when he was found, Black was barely alive; how could he gather sufficient magic to cast the Killing Curse when he was that badly hurt? Isn't it possible that Cygnus Black _and _Father were killed by someone _else_?"

Felicity's face paled further. "After everything you've just heard, how can you suggest such a thing? Black had reason to harm your father. They were found together. There was evidence of a duel. The report shows that Black waited until your father's back was turned and then cast an Unforgiveable. What more do you need?"

Kate took a deep breath. Hearing her mother describe the events leading to her father's death had shaken her; that much was true. She was, however, her father's daughter and as such had inherited his objectivity and the gift of his analytical mind. Despite her sadness at hearing the detail of her father's death, she couldn't shake the feeling that her mother – and perhaps those who informed her – had gotten those details wrong. Kate was taken away from her thoughts by the sound of her mother's voice.

"At his core, this boy Sirius is a Black and you cannot convince me that he is any different than the rest of his family. They embrace Dark Magic and will stop at nothing to ensure their complete power and dominance. I forbid you to have anything further to do with this boy, Kate. That is my final word," Felicity made to rise from her chair.

"Mother, wait - please," Kate cried out and was glad to see Felicity resume her seat. "You don't even know him. Sirius _is _different from his family. He _doesn't_ believe in all the Pureblood nonsense they preach. He's dreadfully unhappy at home; he didn't want to leave school to go home for Christmas, but his family _made_ him go back to London. He's been miserable ever since his mother forbade him to stay at Hogwarts. Please. You _must_ listen to me. He's a good person, really he is."

Felicity's face softened slightly at her daughter's impassioned defense of her friend, but she shook her head. "I'm sorry, darling, but I cannot allow it. The Blacks have enormous influence over many powerful people; their influence absolutely extends to their children. I want you to stay away from him, Kathryn. I understand that you are in the same House and may share some of the same classes, but that is to be the extent of your association with him. I'm afraid I cannot relent in this."

Kate wiped her eyes roughly and stood. "We also share the same friends and I will _not _sacrifice _any_ of my friends for these ridiculous ideas you have about Sirius. And I'm afraid that _I_ cannot relent in _that_ decision." And with that, Kate left the room, making her way up the staircase to her own bedroom with a sinking feeling in her stomach that her mother had not yet had the final word.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius could hear the faint rumblings of conversation from the parlor as his parents reviewed the events of the evening over drinks. He and Regulus had been excused to their respective rooms once their guests had departed – Regulus with a far different send-off than Sirius' own. The Blacks had briefly detained their elder son, advising him that they would send Kreacher for him after they had discussed his behavior at dinner – and his expected behavior from this point forward.

Sirius sat on the edge of his bed; he had debated changing into Muggle jeans and a t-shirt, but decided that he'd probably pushed the envelope enough for one evening and therefore remained in his dress robes. A frown marred his features as Sirius' mind wandered back over the evening. He knew he'd danced around the edges of his parents' temper when he'd made his comments about Slytherin. Thank _Merlin_ that toad, Eduard, had totally misunderstood his intentions. Sirius knew that he hadn't been that lucky with his parents. Despite the gravity of his situation, Sirius couldn't help smirking. It had almost been worth it to see his mother forced to salute Eduard's reaction; it was almost as if Sirius had forced her to agree with _him_. As amusing as it had been, however, Sirius knew he would answer for the indiscretion. He couldn't wait to get back to school and tell the other Marauders about _that_ little episode. Kate would think it was funny, too. The smirk slid from Sirius' face. _Kate_. Ofelia would be at Hogwarts after the holiday – and he was supposed to be "getting to know her", according to his parents. Sirius rose and began to pace the floor. Kate wasn't optional for him any longer. Sirius already keenly felt her absence and he'd barely left school. He wasn't interested in Ofelia; he was interested in Kate. He might not completely understand his feelings, but Sirius _did _know that he needed Kate in his life. The question was, could he keep her with the dratted Ofelia lurking about? Sirius stopped in front of the hearth, his hands clenched by his sides as his mind raced. _I'll tell Kate the truth_, he thought to himself. _I'll tell her that my damned parents have forced me to do this. I'll tell her that … _Sirius leaned heavily against the mantel. _I'll tell her what? That my home life is a fuckin' nightmare? That my parents treat the house elves better than they treat me? That my mother wishes Regulus had been an only child? No. She doesn't need to know all that. I don't _want_ her to know all that. I'll figure it out. _

A knock at the door interrupted Sirius' thoughts. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, calling, "Come in!"

The door opened wide enough for Kreacher to push his head into the room. "Master and Mistress wish to see you," he said.

_It's show time_, Sirius thought as he followed the house elf into the hallway.


	13. Consequences & Reflection

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Cruelty, mild violence.

Chapter 13 – Consequences & Reflection

Sirius followed a few paces behind the old house elf, his feet dragging against the plush pile of the deep green carpeting, his hands shoved nervously into the pockets of his dress robes. So intent was he on the meeting at hand, Sirius stopped in front of the parlor, not realizing that Kreacher had continued ahead.

"They are waiting in your father's study, Master Sirius," the house elf called back to him, not bothering to turn around.

Sirius swallowed audibly and hurried along the corridor to catch up. A moment later, they were standing before the closed mahogany doors of his father's study. Kreacher rapped once and, at Orion's command of, "Enter!" the house elf turned toward Sirius.

"Young Master shouldn't make them wait," he simpered, the sneer on his face betraying his true feelings for the young wizard standing before him.

"Stuff it," Sirius murmured as he squared his shoulders and brushed past the servant with a bravado he did not feel.

"Sit down, Sirius," Orion commanded from his seat behind his elaborate desk. Sirius did as he was bid, recalling his earlier conversation with his mother and, thinking that although the setting was different, the atmosphere was very much the same.

"Kreacher said both you and mother were waiting," Sirius stated, glancing around curiously when he did not immediately locate Walburga in the room.

"Your mother will speak with you later," his father said shortly. "I wanted to speak with you alone before she did so."

_Interesting_, Sirius thought to himself. _Bit of a different approach, this. Can't be good, but at least I'm not outnumbered. _

"Sirius, our family has remained loyal to our motto, _'Toujours Pur' _throughout our long history; those who have forgotten themselves have, in fact, been cast out – disowned, if you will. We only marry fellow Purebloods to ensure the continuation of a line unsullied by those who are not of our class. While preserving our traditions, this has, regrettably narrowed the pool of available witches and wizards with whom we can marry. Ofelia Bullstrode is your third cousin and will make an excellent addition to the Black family. This plan has been in place since you were a very small child. We intend that the plan will become a reality; it is your responsibility to make it so," Orion stopped and leaned forward, clasping his hands upon the gleaming surface of his desk. "It is my understanding that you have formed tight bonds with several boys in Gryffindor House. Two are Purebloods, although it appears that they are devotees of Albus Dumbledore. They have blatantly turned away from our ways, our traditions; this makes them unsuitable companions for the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Don't interrupt me," he commanded, noting Sirius' quick intake of breath and belligerent expression. "I'm not finished." The man rose from his chair and stood gazing out of the window overlooking the gardens drenched in the cold, winter moonlight, his back to his elder son. "Whilst these are unsuitable wizards, I am not motivated to disallow you their companionship – nor that of John Lupin's son." Orion turned back to face Sirius, his stern features sharper, more cunning as he said this. "Ah, yes – I _do _know about your friendship with young Lupin, the half-blood. He is physically weak, sickly – a testament to what comes of these _mixed_ marriages. Even so, as long as you are not so ill advised as to attempt to bring the boy here, I am willing to allow that association to continue. At _school_, and until you finally graduate. After that, you will take your rightful place in the family, with Ofelia at your side."

Sirius shook his head. "Father, please. I do not want this. Ofelia doesn't want this; didn't you see her tonight when her father told her about transferring to Hogwarts?"

Orion came around and sat in the chair next to his son. "Ofelia will do what her parents wish her to do; it is for the betterment of their family, after all. She understands her duty. I wish I could say the same for _you_."

Sirius' hands fidgeted where they lay in his lap. "I am not interested in her," he said quietly. "I am not interested in marrying her simply to continue the family line. Perhaps Regulus would step in; he seems to enjoy the role of dutiful son. Make him the heir – and let me live my own life."

"NO!" Orion's voice roared from his flushed face and he leapt from his chair so abruptly that it crashed to the floor behind him.

Sirius started at the sound and sight of his father's fury. Despite his fear of his father's temper, Sirius experienced a small kernel of satisfaction that he was able to drive his father to his current state. Orion Black's contribution to his son's genetic make-up had been the very same tendency toward explosive rage. _This_ Sirius understood.

Orion stood before Sirius, quivering in that self-same rage. "_You_ are the heir – not Regulus, _you_! You will drop your belligerent, disrespectful, disgraceful attitude and you _will_ do as you are told. While you're about it, you will also stop your indiscriminate bedroom activities, as well, unless you can be a damned site more discreet about them – and can confine yourself to Slytherin House and more worthy candidates. You are barely 16 years old, for Merlin's sake! You will spend your time with Ofelia; you will get to know her and be respectful of her. Make no mistake, boy, _you will marry her_ – and you _will _produce an heir. Once you have done so, it will be immaterial to _me_ where you spend your nights."

Sirius was silent, knowing that saying anything else at the moment was fruitless. He had pushed his father beyond the limits of his endurance and had been driven beyond the limits of his own, as well. His father's suggestion of bedding Slytherin witches was more than disgusting to him and he was anxious for his father's speech to run its course so he could escape to his room.

Orion took the time to collect himself, bringing his breathing under control. Slowly, he reached down and righted the fallen chair before resuming his seat behind his desk. Observing his son with a shrewd eye, he delivered the final blow.

"You will disassociate yourself from that Morgan witch and you will do so immediately upon your return to Hogwarts. Her family is a disgrace to Purebloods, as her own father proved several years ago. You will terminate your dalliance with this girl and will direct those efforts toward your future wife," Orion paused, relishing the silence that greeted what he perceived to be the finishing touch to his conversation with the boy. His self-congratulations were short lived, however.

Sirius slowly raised his face to his father. "Kate is _not _a disgrace, whatever her family might be. She is my friend." He stuck out his chin stubbornly.

Orion shook his head. "She is no friend to the House of Black," he said quietly. "Obviously, my son, you need time to consider what is expected of you. I believe some time spent away from the activities and traffic of the household would afford you ample opportunity to come to terms with our expectations."

Sirius felt a chill settle over him. "Throw the uncooperative heir in solitary confinement for awhile until he comes to his senses, is it?"

Orion's face flushed but he did not advance closer to his son. "It would certainly appear to be what you need." He leaned over to the side of his desk and rang a small brass bell. Instantly, Kreacher appeared in the room.

"Master?"

"Take young Master Black below stairs, Kreacher. Make sure he is secure," Orion commanded, tossing a set of keys to the house elf who caught them with a smile of grim delight on his face. "When you return with the keys, bring me a bottle of brandy from my stores."

"Of course, Master," Kreacher bowed low, his long nose touching the rich carpet on which he stood.

"Get up," Orion snarled to his son. "Go with Kreacher and give him no trouble. Oh, and I'll have your wand, as well." As Sirius rose, he looked at his father incredulously.

"My _wand_?"

Orion smiled. "Your _wand_, Sirius. What hope do I have that you will learn a lesson from this experience if I allow you to keep the one thing that would better your conditions? If you cooperate and do as I have asked, I will consider returning it to you. If you do not, well, let's not wander into that area of thought just yet, shall we?"

Sirius fixed his father with a hard glare as he placed his wand in Orion's extended palm with slightly more force than was necessary.

Without removing his gaze from his son's face, Orion called out, "Kreacher? Please take my son to his temporary accommodations."

Feeling a tug on his sleeve, Sirius looked down to see the house elf grinning up at him. "Come, young Master. Follow me." Reluctantly, Sirius followed he servant from the room, closing the door behind him.

XXXXXXXX

"How was your conversation with Sirius?" the icy voice of Walburga Black cut through the warmth of the library.

Orion turned as his wife crossed the room and took a seat opposite him before the blazing fire. Handing her a snifter of brandy he smiled. "Sirius will be spending the next day or so considering his behavior and his responsibilities to this family. He is far too headstrong for his own good."

Walburga accepted the glass, a grim smile gracing her features as she listened to what her husband had to say. "He understands that he must give up that little Morgan chit, does he not?"

Orion shook his head. "I got the impression that our elder son has no intention of giving up his _friendship_, as he terms it, with Roderick Morgan's daughter. I suspect time alone with his thoughts might make him reconsider."

Walburga smiled. "Indeed." She sipped her brandy for a while, considering the crackling fire before speaking again. "Does he know the truth about Roderick Morgan?"

Orion shook his head. "No. It is not yet time, my dear. I will inform him of his _friend's_ connection to our family when I feel it is appropriate. He has enough to digest at the moment. Too much information may be … counterproductive, as it were."

The couple sat in silence for a while before Orion spoke again. "Please speak with Kreacher to ensure that Sirius receives modest supplies of food and water while he's confined. I want to teach him a lesson, not kill the boy."

Walburga nodded, her face taking on a curious expression. "You _didn't _allow him his wand, did you?"

Orion's brow furrowed. "No, of course not; why do you ask?"

"No reason," his wife said quickly. "I was simply thinking that we'd hardly want him turning the room into a palace and modest meals into a banquet. This is a punishment, after all."

Orion nodded.

Walburga placed the empty snifter on the table and rose gracefully. She crossed to her husband, leaned down and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "I shall just go and attend to Sirius' meals before retiring. Good night, Orion."

"Good night, Walburga."

XXXXXXXX

The sound of the house elf's steps grew faint as he moved away from the small stone cell in the basement. Sirius shivered at the cold. Kreacher had taken the lantern with him and now the only source of light in the small room came from a high window and the three-quarter-moon hanging low in the sky. Sirius heard the distant _thud_ of the closing door, followed by the muted _scrape _of a lock being turned then, silence.

Sirius walked the short distance to the hard, pew-style wooden bench that had been pushed against the far wall of the room. He sat down heavily and drew his robes tighter around his body in an attempt to keep warm. Sirius glanced around him, wondering how long he'd be left in the small room _this _time. He snorted. The 12 x 18, stone space was adjacent to his father's prized wine cellar and had become Orion's favorite place to store his less-than-prized heir when Sirius' behavior became too much for his parents to deal with. _The booze has it better than I do_, Sirius thought to himself. The temperature in the wine cellar was magically climate controlled to preserve the integrity of its contents. The field stone room Sirius occupied, however, had no heating source, and only the window for light. _At least the window's closed_, Sirius mused. With no blanket or other protection from the chill, Sirius knew that the conditions would be unbearable. He despaired the absence of his wand, but his father had learned to collect it from him after his first "incarceration" in the remote cellar of the house. When Orion came to check on Sirius at the end of his first full day, he discovered his elder son lounging in an overstuffed chair, lazily munching on a large chicken leg and sipping a butter beer…all of which had been conjured after Orion had locked the boy in. Sirius smiled at the memory of his father's complete shock when he opened the heavy wooden door and found his son thus engaged. His smile vanished, however, when he recalled how quickly his father had reacted, banishing everything but the hard wooden bench, cancelling the warming charm and confiscating Sirius' wand. His _cheek_, as Orion had dubbed his behavior, had earned the boy an additional day in the cold room. While his father's close contacts at the Ministry would prevent Sirius' from suffering any repercussions at his use of magic outside Hogwarts, there was nothing that would help him avoid the consequences of his actions at home.

Sirius was brought from his reverie by the sound of footsteps approaching the door. He rose and walked toward the door just as the sound of jingling keys came through the door's narrowly barred window. A moment later, his mother slipped through the door and closed it firmly behind her. Sirius felt his heart drop. While his father believed that banishment was the best course of punishment for his uncooperative son, Sirius knew that his mother preferred a more _hands on_ approach to discipline. He steeled himself for what he knew, from experience, would be a very unpleasant confrontation.

"Well, well, well, my son," Walburga purred, eyes glittering dangerously as she approached the shivering boy. "Look where your stubbornness has led you." She waved her hand around, indicating the damp stone of the walls and the floor – finishing with the locked door. Dropping the keys into the pocket of her heavy, woolen cloak, she gave her son a cold smile. "How are you enjoying your new accommodations?"

Sirius met her gaze. He _would_ _not_ give in to her, despite the fact that this was the attitude that had landed him here in the first place. He shrugged and made a show of looking around him, doing his best to appear nonchalant. "Well," Sirius drawled. "I can't say the conditions are up to the _Black _family standards, but neither am I, I hear, so I guess it's alright, then."

The force of Walburga's slap spun Sirius around and his hand flew to his throbbing cheek as he struggled to remain silent. _I will _not _give her the satisfaction_.

"Look at me!" his mother's voice rang in the small space, and he complied.

"You certainly are _not_ up to the standards of this family," she spat. "But _you will be_." Walburga drew her wand and pointed it at Sirius' chest. "_Spiculus!_"

Sirius clutched his chest against the stinging sensation that resulted from his mother's hex. He made no sound, the fact of which appeared to incense Walburga further. She stepped toward him, placing her wand against his left shoulder. "_Spiculus maxima_!" At her whispered hex, the stinging sensation was enhanced well beyond that of her initial attack, the prodding of her wand into his shoulder muscle adding to his pain. Sirius ground his teeth together to keep from crying out and maintained his eye contact with the woman in front of him. They held their position for several seconds. "_Finite Incantatem!" _Walburga ended the hex and returned her wand to her cloak.

Sirius automatically brought his hand to his injured shoulder, but even that slight pressure shot pain through the joint and down to the tips of his fingers. He dropped his hand by his side.

"You will learn, my son, that crossing me will result in swift punishment," Walburga said, her voice matching the temperature of the room. "You will also learn to behave with the respect and decorum that befits the heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Your failure to do so will only make your situation worse. Consider what you have just experienced a mere sample of what will come should you not cooperate fully in assuming your duties and comporting yourself appropriately."

Sirius remained silent, focusing on the wall behind his mother in an attempt to hold his composure.

"Still nothing to say, my son?" Walburga approached him again, placing a hand on his injured shoulder and squeezing it tightly. This, finally, brought a quiet moan from the boy and she released him in satisfaction. "You're so _weak_; so _lacking_ in the qualities and characteristics that define our family. You cast your lot with half bloods and traitors. Now, you have experienced a bit of what awaits them all once Purebloods return to their natural position of power and dominance in our world. Tell me, my son, are your _friendships_ worth the pain you have just experienced at my hand? Are they worth one thousand _times _that pain and suffering? Are they worth living in a cell as this one? A cell without warmth? Without nourishment? I urge you to take the time we've given you to consider well our plans for your future."

Sirius stood in place, every ounce of fight he'd felt since returning to Grimmauld Plance deserting him. Suddenly, he was overcome by the need to hold his mother accountable for her actions; for the actions of his father. While he couldn't have put it in those terms, he only knew that suddenly he felt … lost. It was a feeling he was not accustomed to, one he had pushed down whenever it had reared its head. It was a feeling that his friends had helped him push aside; but his relationship with those friends – with Kate who helped him most of all – was now threatened and Sirius honestly didn't know what he could do about it. "Why are you doing this to me?" Sirius' voice was no more than a whisper and Walburga, who had turned toward the door, was forced to turn back toward her son.

"Did you say something?" she asked.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he repeated. "Why does what I do matter so much to you?"

Walburga considered her son for a moment before answering. "We are Blacks, Sirius. Our history, our place in our world demands that we behave in a certain way. You are the heir to the Black family name; you are destined to carry it onward."

"I am also your son."

Walburga's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn't that what we've been saying to you all along? You are a Black; you are our son."

Sirius shook his head in frustration. "That's not what I mean! I _know_ I'm a Black; sweet _Merlin_, that's been pounded into my head for as long as I can remember. What I'm asking you is how you can do _this_ to me." Sirius paused as he gestured to his chest, then to his shoulder. "As my _mother_, how can you do this to me? You treat Regulus as your son, but never me; why is it never me?"

It seemed that the quiet, plaintive pitch of her son's voice, with vulnerability not often, if ever present to her ears, gave Walburga a moment of pause. The harsh line of her mouth softened briefly and she gazed at his face silently for a long minute. Her own expression then resumed its harsh appearance and she spoke. "Regulus, young as he is, knows his place and his purpose in this family. He has embraced them both. You, on the other hand, do not and therefore, must be taught." She walked once again to the door, opening it to take her leave before stopping once again. "I could ask the same of you, Sirius; as my son, how can you do this to me? As a small boy, you bore the heritage of the Black family as a badge of honor, but that did not last. Family and position are everything, Sirius. You threw it away for the chance to associate with those who are beneath us. I will never understand you; but I _will _ensure that you honor your responsibilities and live up to your heritage." She continued through the door and closed it softly behind her.

XXXXXXXX

Once outside the door, Walburga stopped and leaned against the chilled stone wall of the corridor. She placed a hand to her chest in a gesture eerily reminiscent of her son's actions earlier in the evening. Walburga had not felt any emotion but frustrated anger at her elder child for so long that what she was currently experiencing felt strange to her. She sighed softly as images of Sirius as a baby, then toddler, and then young child flooded her mind. He had been such a beautiful baby, resembling her father in looks and her husband in disposition. Walburga recalled with pride how swiftly the boy had developed, how superior his intellect, how early and powerful the first manifestations of magic had appeared in him. How proud she and Orion had been of this, their first-born son. Walburga had fulfilled expectations and produced a male heir with her first pregnancy – and a robust and handsome heir he was. She closed her eyes as she recalled how they had planned for his future: Hogwarts, as a member of Slytherin House, of course – the proud house of so many of their family. Afterward, a career befitting the young scion of such a powerful family. Marriage, to a fellow Pureblood bride and children to continue the line. Years of dutiful subservience to his family's traditions. The life all Purebloods schemed for. But, it was not to be. Sirius made his first venture into the Muggle world during a visit to his Uncle Alphard. Walburga's mouth turned down at the corners as she remembered her husband's uncle. Long disowned by the family, Alphard Black had made his own fortune, invested it well and lived comfortably in France. Sirius adored him and the affection had been immediately and irrevocably returned. Alphard ventured into Muggle Paris with all the joviality and sense of adventure of a child and he had imbued his young, great-nephew with that perspective at a very young age. To Sirius' protest that these were not "Purebloods", Alphard had acted swiftly, but gently, explaining to the child that all people were worthy of great things – both good and bad – and all deserved respect and courtesy. Alphard stressed that everyone could learn from each other and that the purity of one's blood mattered little in the large landscape of life. That seed had taken root in the child's heart and Sirius never again believed that purity was the sole basis on which a person's merit should be judged. When Alphard was disowned from the family, Sirius' attitude toward his parents' view of Pureblood entitlement plunged. Indeed, Walburga often felt that the boy regarded Alphard as more parent than he did his own. That could not be tolerated. Although she and Orion did everything they could to prevent the two from interacting, Walburga suspected that somehow, contact was made and their relationship continued. She felt her heart begin to harden again with the frustration she held for this boy, and the possibilities that once seemed so endless that now appeared to be out of reach.

A sound from inside the room drew her from her thoughts and Walburga's eyes snapped open. She moved toward the door once again and peered through the small window. Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she beheld Sirius sitting on the wooden bench, shoulders hunched and trembling. _Yes, cry, my son_, Walburga thought. _Cry for what you've thrown away with both hands. And when you've stopped crying, you will perhaps realize that you have no choice but to become the wizard and heir that your father and I plan for you to be. _

With a final glance inside the cold little room, Walburga tore herself away from the window, wrapped her cloak more closely around her and swiftly made her way to through the cavernous cellar and up the steps to the warmth and light of her home.


	14. Tactical Adjustments & Altered Plans

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Cruelty, mild violence.

Chapter 14 –Tactical Adjustments & Altered Plans

The rectangle of light slid across the stone floor, coming to rest on Sirius' face. It was morning and the young wizard was lying on the hard bench, his right arm pillowing his head. As the dozing boy became aware of the warmth on his face, he opened his eyes, slowly coming awake. Greeted with the brightness, Sirius instinctively brought his left hand up to shield his eyes and winced at the sharp pain that permeated his shoulder. The memory of his mother's visit the night before flashed through his mind and, with a grunt, Sirius sat up gingerly. His stomach gave a loud rumble and the boy glanced at his watch, stunned to see that it was half ten. Breakfast was long over. Sirius snorted. _It wouldn't have mattered if I had awakened before dawn; there was no chance anyone would think to bring _me_ breakfast this morning._

Mindful of his sore shoulder, Sirius rose and carefully stretched out the kinks in his back, his legs and his neck. Having no desire to provoke the now dull ache in his shoulder, he opted to leave his injured limb alone. He settled himself back on the bench, allowing his mind to travel back to the previous evening and his altercation with his mother. _Altercation_. That was definitely the proper description for what had happened in this room last night. Sirius absently rubbed his chest as he remembered the stinging hex Walburga had cast. He lifted his shirt and gazed down to find an angry red welt in the middle of his chest. _The shoulder probably looks worse_, Sirius decided, shivering and pulling his shirt back into place. _I hate the cold_, he thought, wrapping his robes more closely around his body. The action pulled at his shoulder slightly and Sirius hissed slightly as the pain flared momentarily. _A healing charm would have been nice. _But he knew Walburga wouldn't have done that for him last night. This was intended to teach him a lesson. _Oh, Mother, if you only knew what I learned about you – about _myself _last night. _ Sirius' eyes closed and he leaned his head back against the wall behind the bench as he allowed the images of the night before to fill his mind. As he recalled the latter part of their confrontation, Sirius winced; she'd called him "weak" and she'd been right. In a moment of sheer and overpowering melancholy, he'd allowed his mother to see his emotions. He'd enabled her to see how much he longed for acceptance, longed to be cared about. Sirius' eyes snapped open. _It would be the last time_, he vowed silently. _No one in this bloody hell-hole will _ever _see that side of me again._ Having made the promise to himself, Sirius set forth devising a plan to keep it.

As Sirius contemplated his situation, he began to pace the small room. Sirius was not a static creature; movement - often driven by nervous energy – allowed him to focus. As he walked, his mind sorted through events, priorities and options. Above all else, Sirius Black was a survivor. He'd been surviving his parents' harsh treatment of him for several years, after all; surely, this was just the latest in that particular series of events. _I'll get through this as well. _ Sirius smiled grimly. _They will _not _win_.

Sirius knew that there would be any number of spies lurking about at Hogwarts – all quite willing and able to report any transgressions to his parents. He would have no choice but to spend _some_ time with Ofelia; he would _have _to figure out what to do about Kate so she wouldn't think the worst of him. Sirius ran his hand through his hair, remembering that first weekend in Hogsmeade, their 'Quidditch lesson' and the regrettable incident at Rosmerta's pub. The last thing he wanted was for Kate to think – yet again – that he was only playing with her feelings. Sirius stopped suddenly, eyes widening. _That's _it! _The whole school thinks I'm a slag as it is. My reputation almost ruined things with Kate; might I be so lucky that they'd _really_ ruin it with _Ofelia_?_ He began pacing again. _I wouldn't have to do anything; once people see me with Ofelia, they'll be lining up to tell her what an arrogant, sex-obsessed git I am. She'll run crying to Papa before the snow melts! And I won't have to worry about the spies in Slytherin because they'll have nothing to report!_ Despite the numbing cold and his gnawing hunger, Sirius felt almost jovial as he worked through this dilemma. He sat down on the bench and was contemplating his plan a final time when it hit him: Malfoy and his gang – and Ofelia's brother _would_, indeed, have activities to report if Sirius allowed himself to be seen with Kate. The smile slipped from the young wizard's face. His father had been adamant: terminate his association with Kate immediately upon his return to school. No interactions. No communications. Nothing. Sirius drew a shaky breath. _If I tried hard enough, I could be discreet and avoid being discovered with her._ But even as the thought crossed his mind, he realized that this was likely impossible. He considered the consequences of being caught. _A Howler from his mother. _ Highly likely. Walburga loved to reinforce her control. _I can handle it; Merlin knows I've had them before and they don't last all that long._ Sirius frowned. There would be retribution to endure at home, however. Sirius shuddered. _Hexes, for certain. Another stay in these delightful and cozy accommodations; another certainty._ He thought of Kate. _Definitely worth it._ And, he didn't have to hide his friendship with the other Marauders. He remembered Orion's statement from the previous evening. He could keep his friends while at school; until he left school and assumed his 'rightful place' in the world. Sirius snorted. _Father would be gobsmacked to discover how different our definitions of 'rightful place' actually are_, he thought.

Sirius felt a tingling in his nose and suddenly sneezed several times in rapid succession. He sniffled and then, with complete disregard for the garment, he dragged his velvet sleeve across his nose after the attack wound down. _Merlin_, _I'm cold_, Sirius thought to himself once again. He attempted to tuck his long legs beneath him on the bench and again pulled his robes around him as tightly as possible and leaned his head against the protruding side of the high back. _I'm hungry, too_, he drowsily thought as his stomach gave another loud rumble. As Sirius felt himself lose his battle to remain awake, his last thought was one of satisfaction that now, at the very least, he had his _own _plan to work around the one his parents had put in motion.

XXXXXXXX

"Mother, where is Sirius?" Regulus asked curiously as he slathered blackberry jam on a thick slice of toast.

"Your brother is being punished, Regulus," Orion spoke up, pouring another cup of steaming coffee and adding a generous measure of rich, sweet cream. "Sirius spent the night in the cellar where I hope he spent his time reconsidering his behavior."

Regulus swallowed audibly. "How long must he stay down there?" While anxious to remain in favor with his parents, Regulus couldn't help but feel some degree of sympathy for his older brother, alone in the dark and the cold.

"It is really no concern to you, darling," Walburga murmured as she turned to the society page of the Daily Prophet. "Your brother will remain where he is until he can appreciate his position in this family and is prepared to live up to our noble heritage." She glanced up briefly, smiling. "As you do, pet."

Regulus waited until his parents had returned to their respective newspapers before tipping the remaining slices of toast from his plate into his napkin. Once the food had been secured, he cleared his throat. "May I please be excused?"

This time, his mother didn't trouble herself to glance up, merely nodding and giving the boy a quiet, "Of course, Regulus," before returning to her reading.

Regulus carefully tucked the napkin under his robes and rose, walking slowly to the double doors that led from the dining room to the hallway. Once he was a safe distance from his parents, he broke into a run, dashing below three flights of stairs until he reached the cellar and entered, closing the door quietly behind him.

It took the child a moment or two for his eyes to accustom themselves to the dimness of the corridor in which he stood. The mossy damp smell assailed his nostrils and Regulus shivered involuntarily. Once he could truly see where he was going, the boy quickly walked the length of the corridor to the small room he knew lay immediately after his father's extensive wine cellar. As he drew level with the heavy door, he heard a groan from the other side.

"Sirius?" he whispered, waiting for a response. When none came, he tried again – louder this time. "Sirius? Are you there?"

The groan repeated itself, followed by an odd clicking that sounded like something hard moving across the stone floor. Almost immediately, that sound was replaced by shuffling steps that came to a halt very close to the door. "Reg, what are you doing down here? If they catch you, you'll be …" his response was cut short by another volley of sneezes.

"Are you ill?" his brother demanded.

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised," Sirius replied, employing his sleeve as a handkerchief again. "What are you doing out there?"

Regulus withdrew the linen napkin from his robes and looked up at the barred window at the top of the door. "I brought you some toast," he said quietly. "With blackberry jam. Probably ice cold by now, though."

From the other side of the door, Sirius smiled miserably, "Perfect. So am I. Can you reach the window? You can poke it through and I'll catch it."

Regulus huffed in disgust. "_Yes_, I can reach the window, you git. I'm not _that _much shorter than you are." Nevertheless, the younger boy stood on his toes and slid the toasted bread through the space between two of the bars. Presently, he heard a sigh from the other side.

"Even cold, this is good," Sirius said in a raspy voice. He swallowed the last of the toast gratefully. It hadn't even begun to fill his stomach, but at least it took the edge off the nausea that was beginning to creep up on him. "Thanks, Reg."

Regulus nodded then realized that his brother couldn't see him. "Yeah." He was quiet for a moment then spoke up again. "I didn't think that dinner went all that badly for you, Sirius. What happened that they put you down here?"

Sirius sighed. "Just another review of my bad attitude and poor behavior," he said quietly. "Nothing for you to worry about. You'll never be in here, that's for sure!"

"Do you hate me because they don't treat me like this?" Regulus' voice sounded very small through the door and Sirius felt a pang go through him, much the same as he'd felt last night when he'd asked his mother why he wasn't treated as Regulus was.

"Don't be stupid, Reg," he said gruffly. "I don't hate you. Do you think I want you to go through this shite, too? I don't." He paused and when no further comment was forthcoming from his brother, Sirius took a deep breath. "Oi, Reg, you should head back upstairs. If they find you here, you might just get a taste of this first-hand. You don't want that, right?"

"No. But Sirius, listen: can't you just put up with them for the rest of the holiday? It's only a few weeks and then you'll be back at school," Regulus reasoned.

Sirius smiled. "You worried about me, Reg? Don't be. I can take it. Listen, I'll try to stay out of everyone's way 'til we can go back to school, yeah? But don't worry; they'll probably leave me down here for the whole time. Bring me up for show Christmas morning to see all that glorious loot Father Christmas dropped off, eh? Quick magical photograph with the relatives then it's right back to the dungeons for the family scourge!" He chuckled darkly, waiting to hear something from Regulus. "Reg?" he called out, hoping it was his brother's voice he heard coming back through the ancient wood.

"Don't say those things," Regulus finally said. "I'm going to tell them you're sick and that you have to come back upstairs."

"NO!" Sirius cried hoarsely. "They can't know you've been down here, Regulus; have you gone MAD?!"

"But…"

"No, Reg; no. Listen, just head back upstairs and be sure you check the hallway for Kreacher. He'd betray either one of us for the promise of something shiny, the little toe rag. Just go back up, Reg. I'll be fine. Really. They'll probably come get me later on. Promise me you'll stay away," Sirius implored. He might be a Slytherin – and dead annoying most of the time – but the git was his brother and he didn't want him to experience this sort of _discipline_ first hand. "_Promise me!_"

Regulus' eyebrows rose and he stepped back from the door. "Al_right_, Sirius; _Merlin_, I'll go back upstairs. I won't say anything, ok?"

Sirius sighed in relief. "Right."

"Right," Regulus echoed.

Sirius listened for the sound of footsteps moving down the hallway and, after a few moments, he did. Relieved, Sirius also realized he felt a pang of loneliness; for all his bravado in front of Regulus, Sirius had no idea when – or if – anyone would come for him. He shivered and settled himself back on the bench. There was a shiver of magic in the air around him and moments later, a huge black dog replaced the young wizard. Padfoot yawned widely; the thick fur coat was much warmer than any woolen robes.

XXXXXXXX

When Sirius next opened his eyes, he thought night had fallen. At some point during the night he had transformed back into his human form. Sirius sat up and scrubbed his face with his hands then looked up at the window. Not nighttime, after all; just the eerie, muted gray color peculiar to a heavy snowstorm. Sirius watched the snowflakes fly against the glass. Awake now, Sirius was reminded that it had been some time since his meager breakfast as his stomach contracted painfully.

The sound of a key turning in the lock rang through the small space.

"Master sent Kreacher to bring you upstairs," Kreacher said. "He is waiting for you in Master's study."

Sirius was too relieved to be free from the mind-numbing cold to feel any of his typical hostility to the house elf and he followed him dutifully into the hallway and up the staircase. As Sirius closed the door of the stairwell behind him, the light and warmth of the kitchen was so overwhelming that he felt his eyes fill with grateful tears. The smells of roasted turkey, thick, rich gravy and freshly baked bread filled his nostrils and re-fired the hunger in the pit of his stomach. A tug on the sleeve of his robes reminded him that he could not stop; he needed to follow Kreacher the rest of the way to his father's study.

When the pair reached the open study door, Sirius was feeling rather lightheaded, but gathered himself and walked resolutely toward his father's desk.

The older man looked up as he heard footfalls on the thick carpet.

"Sirius," he nodded toward one of the two leather chairs in front of his desk. "Sit down."

Sirius sank into the chair he had occupied during their last meeting and immediately sneezed loudly.

Orion looked sharply at his elder son. "I trust your experience has led you to reconsider your earlier position."

Sirius nodded, "Yes, sir."

Orion's eyebrows rose in frank surprise at the prompt affirmative response. "You understand that I want your word that you will devote yourself to getting to know Ofelia in preparation for a deeper relationship."

"Yes, sir."

"Is that all you have to say?" Orion asked.

"I'm cold and hungry and I'm tired. You win. I just want to be excused so I can take a hot bath and get warm," Sirius said.

Orion looked at his son for awhile longer then he spoke. "You may go and bathe, then dress properly for dinner. Your cousins are joining us this evening and you are expected to be at table promptly at 8."

Something at the back of Sirius' brain registered distaste and a small niggle of apprehension, but he was feeling too miserable to focus on it at that moment. He nodded and rose, anxious to quit his father's presence and sink into a hot tub.

"Sirius, I also expect you to conduct yourself appropriately this evening," Orion said as his elder son made his way to the door. Lest you forget, you have apologies to make this evening."

Sirius stopped just shy of the door. _That_ was the thought that had eluded him, he realized. Sighing, he turned to his father and nodded. "Don't worry. I'll behave," he said and if his tone carried a trace of his typical sarcasm, Orion did not rise to the bait.

"Fine. Go, then and make yourself presentable," Orion responded and turned his attention to the paperwork on his desk. Grateful, Sirius stepped out into the corridor.

Rather than taking the stairs up to his own room, Sirius decided to visit the kitchen and fortify himself with some much-needed food. Merlin knew that dinner this evening would be a difficult affair, one that would undoubtedly rob him of his appetite.

A short time later, Sirius walked into his room with a sandwich composed of thick slabs of freshly roasted turkey between slices of still-warm bread. A tall glass of cold milk complimented his 'snack', which took him all of fifteen minutes to devour. His stomach satisfied, Sirius proceeded to his bathroom where he finally stripped off the dress robes and undergarments he had worn since the previous day. He moved over to the shower and opened up the taps, gratefully allowing the steaming water to wash over his chilled body. Sirius stood, motionless, for several long moments, enjoying the longed-for warmth then picked up a flannel and began to wash. Once clean, he shaved, dried his hair and body and donned fresh dress robes. Sirius glanced at the clock next to his bed: 7:45. He debated using the time to send an owl to James but, in the end, decided to pass. If caught, Sirius knew that he would receive a longer sentence in the cold, dank basement room. No matter how much he missed his friends, Sirius knew that he had to convince his father that he'd meant what he said to him earlier in the evening. He would do as he was ordered. Sirius smiled to himself. _All I have to do is convince them I've changed. Once I'm back at school, I'll put my plan in motion and Ofelia won't be able to get away from me fast enough!_ With that pleasant thought in mind, Sirius took one more glance in the mirror then left his room, closing the door softly behind him.

XXXXXXXX

As he approached the dining room, Sirius heard the unmistakable sound of his cousin, Narcissa's, affected laughter. Bellatrix' low-pitched comment was not decipherable from his current location, but at hearing her voice, Sirius felt a twinge of discomfort knowing that she was present in the house. He took a deep breath and entered, immediately approaching his chair.

"Sirius, I was under the impression that you were … _indisposed_ this evening," Narcissa commented, glancing at her aunt.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Cissy," Sirius replied. "I was specifically invited to dinner with you lot this evening."

"Sirius," his mother greeted him, inclining her head. "Your father informs me that you have had a change of heart and intend to fully cooperate with our plans for you. Is this so?"

Ignoring the frankly curious stares of his two older cousins, Sirius steeled himself and nodded. "Yes, it's true."

Walburga's glance lingered on his face for a moment, her eyes narrowed and Sirius had the distinct impression that she was evaluating the truth of his response. Apparently satisfied with the result of her scrutiny, Walburga turned her attention to the girls, seated next to each other on her left. "You both know Eduard Bullstrode and his family, of course?" At their affirming nods, she continued. "The Blacks have entered into an arrangement with them that involves a match between Sirius and their daughter, Ofelia."

A sly smile curled the corners of Bellatrix' lips. "You've an understanding with Ofelia Bullstrode? What about Kate Morgan? I thought the two of you were … involved."

Sirius felt his mother stiffen and was about to speak when Narcissa interrupted, "You two certainly seemed very close during the last Hogsmeade weekend."

"That's over," Walburga stated abruptly, eyes flashing. "Isn't that right, my son?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "Yes, that's over." Even though he knew this wasn't the truth, Sirius was taken aback by how deeply those words cut into him. He could only content himself with the knowledge that this denial of Kate was all part of his greater plan to keep her and eliminate any potential relationship with Ofelia.

"She'll be heartbroken, I'm sure," Narcissa murmured. "But she will find someone else to amuse her; there've been several Ravenclaw boys interested in her since she came to Hogwarts. Now that she's no longer involved with Sirius, perhaps they will finally pluck up enough courage to pursue her."

Sirius willed himself to remain still in his chair. It would not do for him to give tongue to any of the caustic comments running through his head. _Remember the goal_, he admonished himself. _Remember the plan. _

"Sirius, speaking of the last Hogsmeade weekend, it strikes me that there was a bit of unfinished business you need to address with your cousins," Walburga smiled grimly. "Some insult for which you've yet to apologize. I believe that you should remedy this situation before your father arrives and I am compelled to share the sordid details with him, as well."

Sirius' hands balled into fists where they rested in his lap. "I'm sorry for what I said to you," he said quietly, glancing only briefly at his cousins.

"…because you certainly didn't meant it," Bellatrix added, waiting for a confirmation from her younger cousin.

Sirius was spared further reply when his father entered the room, Regulus in tow. Sirius wondered how much his father had overheard, but his curiosity was satisfied a moment later when Orion spoke.

"Come now, Bella; your cousin has apologized to you. Let that be the end of the matter. I see no need to drag this out beyond what has already been said." Ignoring Walburga's angry glare, Orion took his seat. "Please ask that dinner be served, my dear," he spoke to his wife who nodded once and rang the brass bell that would summon the house elves from the kitchens.

The remainder of the meal passed without incident and the Black cousins departed quite late into the evening. Once they had gone, Sirius welcomed the chance to retire to his room – and the warm, comfortable bed that awaited him there. As he walked toward the doorway, however, Walburga reached out and caught him by the arm.

"I do not know what you have said to your father that compelled him to release you from your confinement but I am certain that you were less than honest with him. Note this well, my son: I will not be as gullible as your father. You will live up to what we have asked of you or the consequences will be extreme. Do we understand each other?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes and attempted to shake free of his mother's tight grasp. His actions only succeeded in driving her long nails deeper into his upper arm. He finally responded. "Yes, I understand you, Mother." Mercifully, Walburga released him. "I shall also expect the remainder of your holiday to pass without further unpleasantness."

Sirius nodded and walked swiftly out the door, up the stairs and into his room. He was undressed and under the covers in record time but, exhausted as he was, sleep was very slow in coming. Kate's face kept appearing before him and Sirius acknowledged just how much he missed her. _I'm going to fight her on this, Kate_, he promised himself. _I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me; that's a promise I intend to keep… no matter _what!

Buoyed by that thought, Sirius finally fell asleep.


	15. No Place Like Home for the Holidays

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Cruelty, mild violence.

Chapter 15 – There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Christmas morning finally arrived, and with it came an unusually severe snowstorm with howling winds and dense snowfall that stung the face of anyone who dared venture outside.

Kate stretched drowsily in her bed, cocooned in the warmth of a thick down comforter as she listened to the weather raging outside. Recalling earlier Christmas holidays before their flight to America, Kate felt a sudden sadness at the absence of her father. He had always gathered the youngster into his lap and entertained her by reading a variety of Christmas tales aloud each Christmas Eve. Kate smiled softly. Back then, the world of flying reindeer pulling sleighs and magical old men sliding down chimneys had always seemed the product of fanciful imagination. When she discovered her own magic, it was winter – a day very like this one: stormy and forbidding, enticing all who could to remain indoors. Kate clearly remembered rushing into her father's study – all of five years old – her mother's wand clutched tightly in her chubby fist. "Daddy, _look_," she had cried, waving the wand about and giggling at the multi-colored sparks that whirled and scattered from its tip. Pointing at a baby doll she'd left on the sofa, Kate had waved her wand in childish fashion and was delighted to see the toy shudder several times before rising a scant inch or two from the cushion. Even though it remained airborne for less than a moment, Kate was absolutely enthralled by what had happened. Roderick had been stunned, but fixed a warm smile on his face. She laughed aloud remembering how her father had told her that she had then turned to him, mother's wand in one hand and her newly still baby doll in the other and solemnly asked that he go with her to find some deer so she could make _them _fly, just like those who pulled Father Christmas' sleigh! Kate remembered, too, how he had told her that story the night before she began her studies in Salem – and how her father had shared that he knew in that moment that she would be a powerful witch one day.

A particularly strong gust of wind rattled her windowpane, pulling Kate from her thoughts with a shiver. Burrowing deeper within the warm bedclothes, Kate decided that staying put a bit longer would do no harm; she rarely had the opportunity for a nice lie in. Since it was only Felicity and herself for the day, Kate felt no pressure to rush to make herself presentable. _Felicity_. If the past week was any indication, she could easily stay in her room for the day. After their rather heated discussion and Felicity's order to stay away from Sirius Black, Kate had worked very hard to stay as far away from her mother as possible. She read a favorite book, took walks in the neighborhood and wandered along the shopping district, enjoying the holiday sights and sounds. Meals were quiet affairs, the silence often broken only by the sound of cutlery on china or the stilted, overly polite requests to pass one thing or another. It wasn't that Felicity hadn't tried to dispel the chill that had settled over their relationship; her daughter, she found, appeared completely disinterested in doing so. Felicity was resolute at first, and held her ground as well as her silence. In the last day or so, however, she had begun to make more frequent attempts to communicate with Kate. For her part, Kate missed her mother – and hated the tension that permeated the household, but was adamant that she would _not_ give Sirius up. A silent holiday at home was a small price to pay, in her mind, for winning that particular battle. Kate felt a niggling sense of irritation begin again in the pit of her stomach. _I cannot deal with this for another ten days_, she thought to herself. _I'll go completely mad._ With that, she shoved the comforter from her body and sat up in bed. Immediately, Kate noted the modest stack of gifts her mother had placed on the wooden trunk at the foot of her bed. Tendrils of guilt began to replace irritation. She sighed. _It's Christmas. Aren't we all supposed to put conflict on the back burner and commemorate the season? Practice peace on earth? _Kate stuffed her feet into her fleece-lined slippers and shrugged into her chenille bathrobe. Securing the belt tightly around her waist, Kate picked up the pile of gifts and walked over to the window seat, settling herself on the soft cushion.

The first package revealed a warm, deep burgundy jumper made of soft cashmere. Kate's hand ran over the luxuriously soft garment as she held it up to her chest. _Perfect fit_, she thought, folding it carefully and returning it to the gift box. Setting the box to one side, Kate began opening the remainder of the brightly wrapped gifts, yielding dark chocolate from a favorite sweet shop in Salem, a bottle of Kate's favorite scent, a new copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ to replace the one in danger of falling apart from almost constant use and warm woolen socks – three pair – to chase away the chill of Hogwarts castle in winter.

As Kate popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth, she reached for the last package, wrapped in lovely golden paper with a midnight blue velvet ribbon. She carefully removed the packaging and found herself holding an ancient looking burgundy velvet box, the nap on its corners worn down over apparent years of use. A piece of parchment fluttered onto the seat cushion, as well, but Kate was entranced by the box and left the parchment in favor of examining its contents. As she lifted the hinged lid, Kate caught her breath. There, nestled in cream-colored satin was an oval shaped, gold locket. She lifted it gently and brushed her fingers over the casing. The gold was soft and tinged with a soft rose color, confirming that the piece was, indeed, quite old. A worn "M" had been engraved in elaborate script on the front of the locket. Kate realized that this had, of course, come from the Morgan side of her family. She brushed her finger over the side of the locket and pressed gently on the lever she found. Immediately, the front sprang open, revealing a photograph magically sized to fit. The image before her blurred as Kate's eyes filled with tears. In the photo, she was seated in her father's lap, head resting against his chest, gazing at the book he held in his hand. While she could not see the title, the presence of a gaily decorated Christmas tree in one corner of the photo told her all she needed to know. Her mother had found a precious memento of one of Kate's fondest memories of her father – and presented it to her in a particularly poignant way. She opened the safety clasp of the delicate chain and secured it around her neck, rising to examine her reflection in the dresser mirror as she did so. Kate stood before the mirror and placed her hand against the locket where it rested just below the base of her throat. She closed her eyes and allowed the tears to fall as the memories of Christmases so long ago washed over her. _I miss you, Dad_, she thought to herself. _I wonder what you would think of what's happening with Mother. I wonder how _you _would have felt about Sirius._ Kate opened her eyes, knowing that these were questions that were destined to remain unanswered. Roderick was gone. _But I still have Mother_. Kate ran to her wardrobe and pulled out underclothing and a pair of black velvet, wide-legged dress trousers. Hanging the trousers on the door, she dashed into the bathroom to shower. Half an hour later, Kate was pulling the burgundy cashmere jumper over her head. Sparing a moment for another quick glance into the mirror, Kate reached inside her jumper and pulled the locket from beneath her clothing, letting it hang against the deep burgundy color. Satisfied, she hurried to the door that led to the hallway. Their differences would still be there tomorrow; today was the day for families. With that thought firmly in mind, Kate opened the door and went off in search of her mother.

As the door closed behind her, the draft ruffled the remains of the wrapping paper, blowing the forgotten, yellowed piece of parchment behind the window cushion.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius cracked open one eye and was met with the sight of a snowstorm raging outside his window. He immediately closed it again. _I'm freezing to death in my own bed without watching a blizzard through the window._ Sirius turned over onto his back, regretting the move the moment his body pressed against the mattress. With a hoarse cry, he turned over on his side again, feeling his sleep top brush against the welts that criss-crossed his back. _Damn her!_ He coughed sharply, wincing as the action pulled at the injured area. _I would have been able to have dinner with the fuckin' Bullstrodes if I hadn't gotten sick down in that hellhole. _Sirius closed his eyes again as he remembered the night before.

Since being liberated from solitary confinement, as Sirius had come to call his punishment, he had begun to feel sicker by the day. Bouts of sneezing had given way to a deep, persistent cough, accompanied by fever, and starting last night, muscle aches so profound that any movement was agony. He still put in an appearance at meals, eating enough to keep his mother's sharp eyes away from him and drinking tea with honey until he thought it would come out his ears. Relief was temporary, however and he soon crawled back into his bed to sleep until he was summoned to the next meal. That had stopped yesterday morning. Sirius couldn't lift his head from his pillow and was dimly convinced someone had filled it with lead as he had slept. Breakfast came and went without the Black family heir at table. Lunch came and Kreacher arrived in his room to announce it. Sirius opened one bleary eye to see the house elf's craggy face shoved very close to his own as he regarded the boy curiously. "Mistress said to come to lunch," he advised solemnly.

"Can't," Sirius croaked. "Sick."

Kreacher grinned evilly. "I shall tell Mistress young Master said no, then?"

Sirius closed his eyes. "Tell Mistress anything you want, you miserable little toe rag. I'm sick. Don't want food. Get OUT!" With great effort, he turned his head to face the wall and allowed himself to fall back into a fitful sleep.

Mid-afternoon brought Walburga, herself, to his room. "Sirius, look at me," she commanded, her voice raised and stern.

Slowly, Sirius turned his head back toward the door and saw his mother. He slowly rolled onto his side to look at her. "What is it?" he asked groggily. For a moment, he almost thought his mother looked concerned, but at her next words, he put it down to the effects of his fever or whatever it was that was wrong with him.

"Sirius! You get out of that bed this _instant_! The Bullstrodes are coming for dinner this evening and your presence is required," she said firmly, grasping the top of the bedcovers and tossing them to the foot of the bed. Immediately, the boy began to shiver uncontrollably.

"NO! Please…it's cold," he said, trying to kick the covers up far enough so he could grasp them and cover himself in their warmth once again. The effort was thwarted, however, as Walburga grasped the covers and pulled them to the floor.

"You are to stop this nonsense at once. You must honor your promise to abide by your agreement with Ofelia. You are to rise, shower and make yourself presentable for dinner. This theatrical performance of yours ends now!" With that, Walburga turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Sirius tried to get up and made it to an almost seated position on the edge of the bed before he gave into the nauseating image of the room spinning before him and collapsed back onto his pillow.

It might have been moments – or hours - later, but frantic tugging on his sleeve awakened Sirius yet again. This time, it was Regulus. "Sirius, get _up_!" the boy hissed. His image was only a blur to Sirius who tried to tug his arm away from the younger boy's reach.

"Go 'way, Reg," he slurred. "'m _sick_, you _twat_! _Stop_ pulling at me."

Regulus shook his head but managed to stop yanking Sirius' arm. "She's coming up here, Sirius. Mother."

"Can't eat anything," his brother replied. "Not coming downstairs."

Regulus huffed, glancing worriedly at the door. "Dinner is _over_, Sirius. She's saying good-bye to the Bullstrodes at the door now. _She's coming up here_ when they've gone. Sirius, I've never seen her this angry. Sirius, _please_…"

His brother's desperate tone coupled with his message got through to the young wizard and he opened his eyes and focused. "Reg, it's done. Nothing I can do to fix it. I'm sick. I couldn't come downstairs. If she's pissed off, she's pissed off. You can't stop her. I can't stop her. But you'd better go. If she finds you here, you'll get it, too."

Regulus nodded, looking slightly less frantic now that his brother was speaking in relatively complete sentences and seemed to understand what was happening. "Just…"

In spite of his pounding head and what he was sure were sub-freezing temperatures in the room Sirius managed a slight smile. "Be careful? I think that's probably impossible at this point, don't you? But, thanks. 'preciate the warning, Reg." They both heard the heavy front door close two floors below. "Go!" Sirius added, watching as Regulus looked at him one final time, then ran for the door. Sirius held his breath until he heard the quiet latch of Regulus' door closing, then he exhaled slowly. This time, the tremors running through his body had less to do with fever and more to do with what he knew was coming. Footsteps sounded on the stairs leading to the third floor and Sirius braced himself. The slamming of his door announced her arrival.

"So, you chose to disregard my wishes, my son," Walburga's icy voice contributed to the chill in the room. From his position on his stomach, his face turned toward the door, Sirius could only see his mother's hands. His heart skipped a beat as he saw the thin leather belt in her hand. "More stringent punishment appears to be called for."

Sirius remained silent and closed his eyes.

He imagined that it was over quickly. He knew he had remained conscious throughout. Although the pain was more than he'd ever experienced at her hand, Sirius took perverse pride in the fact that he had made no sound as his mother had administered her punishment. He had waited until she had slammed the door closed behind her, then allowed the tears to come as he cried until he had nothing left inside him and finally, he slept.

The sound of the door closing brought Sirius back to the present. _I haven't got anything left to fight her_, he thought, resigning himself to whatever might come. To his sincere shock, it was not Walburga, but his father who stood by his bed. As Sirius watched his face, he was stunned to see the horror in Orion's eyes as he gazed at his elder son.

"Sirius… can you hear me?" Orion bent toward the boy, who nodded.

"Yes," he whispered. "Please don't put me down there again. I'll be good. I promise, I'll be good. Don't put me in the cellar….." he shivered as his father placed his hand on the boy's forehead.

"You're burning with fever," Orion said quietly then grimaced as he glanced at Sirius' back. "You need a Healer. I …" His voice trailed off and he leaned over to retrieve something from half under the bed. He lifted it and Sirius saw that it was the belt his mother used on him the night before. Orion swallowed thickly. "Sirius, I cannot take you to St. Mungo's. Questions will be asked - questions that will ruin our family. I will make other arrangements for …"

Sirius held his father's glance. "Hogwarts."

Orion blinked once. "Hogwarts?"

Sirius nodded. "Hospital wing. Poppy Pomfrey's a Healer."

Orion nodded. "I'll owl the Headmaster." He withdrew his hand from his son's head and rose. Hesitating, the older man added, "Sirius, your mother is given to episodes of …" his voice trailed off.

"Don't care," Sirius mumbled, closing his eyes. "Hates me. 's ok. Hate her, too."

Orion's eyes widened. "Sirius, your mother doesn't think clearly when she gets this way. You have caused her great frustration, sparked tremendous anger in her. I don't believe that she hates, you, however."

Sirius remained silent. There was nothing left to say. He heard a deep sigh issue from his father before Orion moved quietly through the door, closing it softly behind him.

When he looked back on that Christmas Day, Sirius would never remember the journey to Hogwarts, magically undertaken via agreement between Orion Black and Albus Dumbledore. The young wizard would only remember someone helping him drink something cool from a vial and then closing his eyes and slipping into welcome oblivion.

"He's asleep," Poppy whispered to the two men standing behind her, replacing the vial of dreamless sleep potion back in her medical case.

Dumbledore turned to Sirius' father and nodded. "We'd like to _Apparate_ from here. The Floo network would be far too jarring for him. I know that your home is heavily warded against _Apparition_ from within its walls. I will ask that you drop those wards to permit our departure." Dumbledore's face was stern, his voice betrayed no trace of the rage he kept inside him at the abuse meted out to this young boy.

Orion sensed his suppressed anger, however. For once, he did not allow his aristocratic pride to rule his head – or his response. He merely nodded. "Of course. I will attend to it now," he said quietly and left the room to attend to the task.

When he had gone, Dumbledore turned to Poppy. "Well, how bad is it, Poppy?"

The older woman drew a deep breath. "I can cure the pneumonia easily enough. His back shows the beginnings of infection and that must be treated over the course of a few days' time if the wounds are to heal with minimal scarring. He's weak and dehydrated, as well, but those, too, can be easily remedied." She paused and turned to the Headmaster, her face registering both concern and deep sadness. "The emotional toll this has taken, however, cannot be as easily treated." She turned back to the still figure on the bed and smoothed his long, dark hair away from his brow.

Albus patted the Healer's shoulder. "A comfortable environment and, soon, the companionship of his friends, will help that condition, Poppy."

"That woman should be made to face the consequences of her actions," Poppy spat angrily. "Physical abuse and now, this 'arrangement' with the Bullstrode family. I know he's irascible and can be a handful, Albus, but he's still a child. Why can't they just leave him alone?"

The Headmaster sighed. "Such is the way of Purebloods, Poppy. They have their own vision of our world and their children play a major role in bringing it to fruition. This is tradition that goes back generations. Despite our repugnance for it, I'm afraid that there is nothing we can do to stand in their way."

"But while he's at school, Albus, isn't there a way…."

"Not for us, my dear, but for his friends, perhaps so. We shall see what transpires when they return. For now, however, let us move young Sirius to the hospital wing where he will be safe in your care, yes?"

Poppy sighed. "And what then, Albus; what happens after he heals? He will return to that house, where _she _can do this to him again. Do we not have responsibilities here?"

Dumbledore nodded. "We do, indeed, Poppy. Orion Black has been forced to acknowledge the truth about his wife's behavior. Worse, he has been forced to divulge that truth to me. I have his assurance that he will more closely monitor her interactions with Sirius. The family's reputation is paramount to him; he will honor his word. And, I will be watching young Sirius for signs that his diligence has slipped. Now, we've spent enough time here. Let us return to Hogwarts."

Moments later, the sharp crack of _Disapparition_ was heard and Sirius' room was, once again, empty. Before too long, the silence was broken by the squeak of a door hinge as Regulus Black stepped cautiously from the bathroom. Glancing toward Sirius' now empty bed, the child's pale face registered his sadness as he, too, exited into the hallway.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius struggled toward consciousness, feeling very much like he was clawing his way through layer upon layer of wet gauze as he did so. Reality lay somewhere beyond those layers and he desperately needed to get there. As Sirius forced his mind to focus, his back began to ache dully and gradually, other aspects of his condition began to make their presence felt. His head didn't seem to be throbbing quite as badly as it had been and when he swallowed, his throat didn't feel like a thousand knives were stabbing at every nerve ending. _This didn't make any sense_, he thought fuzzily as he tried hard to focus, to recall his last memory before awakening. _There were people in my room. I smelled lemons and … soap. And voices - not _hers_, but there were voices. Why can't I remember? I wanted to leave … no bloody surprise _there_. I was telling someone. Father? He put his hand on my head … 'You need a healer'. Yes, that was his voice. I remember. I must be at St. Mungo's …No, not there. Family. Questions. 'Your mother is given to episodes … doesn't think clearly'. Really? Seemed to think clearly enough to do _this_, didn't she? Ok. Not Mungo's. 'Hogwarts'. That's _it!_ I must be…_

Sirius opened both eyes, squinting even though just a few candles provided light to the room. As they adjusted, Sirius found himself overcome with relief. He _was _at Hogwarts. He was _safe_. The knowledge brought tears and Sirius let them fall, his breath hitching, until there were no more to be shed. As he was contemplating rolling from his stomach to his side to get a better look at his surroundings, the lemon and soap scent from his memory presented itself once again and a gentle hand settled on the top of his head.

"Ah, so you are finally awake, are you? That's good," came the kind voice of Poppy Pomfrey. _You'll take care of me, won't you, Poppy? Despite all the pranks and loud voices near the hospital wing, you'd never do us a harm. _

Sirius took a deep breath. "I'm awake," he said, unnecessarily. "Can I turn over?"

"Let me help you," she said. "I've healed the wounds on your back, but the area will be tender for a few days. You may not be comfortable putting much pressure on it straight away."

The boy nodded. "Maybe I could sit up?"

"You may not be comfortable doing that, either, but it _will_ be easier on your back, I'll grant you that," the Healer responded. "Ready?" At Sirius' nod, they worked together to gently move him to a semi-seated position, reclining back against a copious number of fat, squashy pillows and covered by a warm blanket. Despite the relatively simple procedure, Sirius' pale face bore a faint sheen of perspiration and his exhaustion had returned full force. It _was _better, though, even with the soreness in his back.

"Are you hungry?" Poppy asked him, running a cool cloth over his face and throat.

Sirius shook his head in surprise. He couldn't really remember the last meal he'd eaten. "Is it still Christmas?" he asked the Healer.

Poppy shook her head. "No, Sirius, it's Boxing Day evening."

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise. "I've been out of it for two whole days? Blimey!"

Poppy suppressed a smile. "Day and a half is more accurate, but yes, you've 'been out' for awhile."

"Am I ok?" Sirius asked.

"You will be," she affirmed. "You're weak and you are still suffering the after-effects of pneumonia. I'd like to keep you here for a few days and then you may go…"

Sirius' face paled further. "Back to Grimmauld Place? Madam Pomfrey, I can't go …"

"Calm yourself, Mr. Black," Dumbledore spoke kindly from his position in the doorway. As he approached the sick bed, Sirius could see that the Headmaster's expression matched his tone. He relaxed immediately. "There is no reason for you to return to London for the remainder of the holiday; there is little more than one week until the students return for the new term, after all." Dumbledore turned to the Healer. "Poppy, could you give us a few moments, please? I'd like to speak privately with our patient."

Poppy nodded. "I'll just be in my office, then. When you've finished, please let me know. I need to administer his next round of potions and take a look at his back."

Dumbledore patted her arm and nodded in response and with a final look at her charge, Poppy bustled from the room.

"May I?" the Headmaster gestured to the foot of Sirius' bed. At the boy's nod, he settled himself. "How are you feeling?"

Sirius glanced down at the blanket where his suddenly restless fingers were pinching the fabric into small pleats, then smoothing them and beginning again. "Better, I think. Sore. But better." He paused. "Thanks for letting me come back so soon."

"When your father owled me with the circumstances of your situation, it seemed to be the best solution. I understand that it was your suggestion," Dumbledore inclined his head in an effort to catch the boy's eye. "I am pleased that you feel safe enough here to have done so."

Sirius raised his head and looked directly at the old wizard. "'s about the only place I _do _feel safe these days," he confessed quietly. "Well, here and the Potters' house." Despite his current circumstances, Sirius smiled.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore smiled in return. "Mr. Potter will wonder where you've gotten to when you do not meet him – and your other friends – at Kings Cross for your return." He held up a hand at the frown and worried look that appeared on Sirius' face at these words. "Do not be concerned. The owls do not observe the holidays, after all. We can dispatch one to the Potter family today, if you wish, with news of your return."

Sirius exhaled slowly as he felt his agitation abate. "I don't want them to worry. I don't want them to … well, I just don't want them to worry about me."

Dumbledore nodded. "If the message came directly from you, they probably would be less inclined to do so. When you feel a bit stronger, we'll see to it that an owl is placed at your disposal and you may send your message."

Sirius smiled. "Thank you. Maybe tomorrow."

"You certainly have time enough before their return." The Headmaster leaned forward and placed his hand on Sirius' arm. "It is understandable that you would not want your friends to know the exact circumstances that led to your early return to Hogwarts, my boy. But remember that true friends stand with us through all of our trials and sufferings – no matter how horrific or shameful we may find those troubles to be. Sharing only the good times with them robs everyone of the opportunity to strengthen the bonds that already exist. Anyone can stand with us when times are good, son; true friends stand with us through all of it – and become more than friends as a result. They become an extension of our family. Do not cheat yourself – or them – of that opportunity."

Sirius was silent for several moments; then, "They are my _only_ family," he whispered. "They accept me for myself, in spite of my name. They don't believe I'm one of _them_."

Dumbledore squeezed the boy's arm gently. "If you deny your family, Sirius, you deny a piece of yourself. That's never a good idea. No, please let me finish," Sirius settled back against the pillows, a stubborn look on his face, but he did as he was asked. "Thank you," Dumbledore said. "The Blacks are a part of you, Sirius and this you cannot change. Although you cannot see it now, there are many traits of your family that are positive: strength of conviction, loyalty to family and beliefs, courage to stand against those who would threaten them or their way of life. You possess each and every one of these traits. They are the gifts of your heritage. It is in how you apply them that you distinguish yourself from them. You are strong in your convictions about equality and freedom for all who inhabit our world – not just for the Purebloods. You are loyal to members of your family: your cousins Andromeda, your Uncle Alphard … and, do not forget the loyalty you feel toward your brother. You have great courage, Sirius; look where you were sorted! The Sorting Hat is never wrong, you know. It recognized the character of your heart and knew that it would take great courage to live out that character in certain areas of your life. It put you where you were destined to be, child: Gryffindor; it did so because of the traits you inherited from these people you would deny. Do you understand?"

Sirius nodded slowly. "It doesn't change how I feel about them…or how they feel about me. They have already planned my life for me; they expect me to marry Ofelia Bullstrode and they don't even care that I don't _want_ to marry her. Well," he paused and gestured toward himself. "Mother cared enough to do _this_ to try to convince me." His voice was hollow as he finished.

"Sirius, your father was forced to confront the evidence of his wife's inappropriate behavior toward you…" Dumbledore began, but Sirius would not allow him to finish.

"My _father_ was the one who put me in a tiny, unheated cell in the basement of our house," he interrupted. "That was _his_ way of giving me some time to think things over and agree to marry Ofelia. No heat, no food. Only my _mother_ to pay me a visit and deliver a couple of stinging hexes to speed my thought process along a bit. You cannot convince me that my father cares a whit about me."

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, Sirius, I will not continue to try, then. I will, however, ask you to consider whether or not a man who did not care at all about you would have bothered to seek medical help for you. Would have agreed to ensure that your mother did no future physical harm to you."

Sirius looked sharply at the old man. "Orion Black cares about the Black family reputation in the Pureblood community. He _told_ me that he could not take me to St. Mungo's for help because my injuries would raise too many questions that would reflect badly on our family. I mean _nothing _to him; _less_ than nothing!" Sirius drew a deep breath and leaned heavily back into his pillows. The effort and emotion of the conversation with Dumbledore had taxed his meager reserves and the Headmaster recognized it and rose.

"Very well, then, Sirius. But consider this: his protection has been given to you and even if it is not granted from any sort of parental concern, as you believe, the promise will be honored for the more selfish reason of family reputation and social standing. You will have less to fear when you return to Grimmauld Place in the future as a result. That is something to be grateful for, is it not?"

Sirius sighed. "I don't mean any disrespect, Professor, but I will have to see it to believe it."

Dumbledore smiled softly. "I don't for a moment doubt it, son. Now, settle down while I go fetch Poppy. If I don't, I will surely feel her wrath at having overtaxed your strength with this visit."

Sirius nodded and managed a smile as well, picturing the diminutive Healer haring after Hogwarts' Headmaster with her wand extended ominously in his direction. As Dumbledore moved away from his bed, Sirius spoke drowsily, "Thank you, Sir. For everything."

Dumbledore turned to reply, but the boy was already asleep.


	16. Marauders Come Home

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

**Note: _In researching some events for later chapters, I found that one of the major plot lines occurs in the Marauders' 6th year. To accommodate that event, I have gone back through this story and changed their current year from 4th to 5th. I appreciate your patience with this change. Enjoy!_**

Chapter 16 – Marauders Come Home

Sirius managed to finagle release from the hospital wing in the afternoon of his second full day back at Hogwarts. Poppy Pomfrey had been determined to keep the boy under careful observation for several days longer but Sirius had been equally determined to leave as quickly as possible. He hated being the center of attention for reasons he, himself, did not initiate. Pranks and jokes that put him squarely in front of everyone were more than acceptable; focused attention because of weakness – of any kind – was absolutely not to be tolerated. In the end, despite the newly developed mutual affection between the Healer and the student, the volume of their disagreement had reached such levels that Dumbledore, himself, had been brought in to settle the dispute.

"Have you been eating, Mr. Black?" the Headmaster inquired, peering at the boy through his half-moon spectacles.

"Yes, Sir," came the response. "Broth and dinner rolls last night, eggs, fried tomatoes and toast this morning and a bowl of soup and a sandwich for lunch today."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he listened to Sirius' recitation. "What? Nothing to drink?" he asked, smiling, when the boy paused for breath.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Tea, Sir. Enough so that I wouldn't be surprised if I started pissing tea leaves … oh, umm, sorry, Madam Pomfrey." But despite his display of contrition, Sirius managed a sly smile on his still pale face.

Dumbledore's smile deepened. "Well, Poppy, I would say that Mr. Black seems well enough to be released to Gryffindor Tower – _with a few rules_." This last emphasized to quell the indignation of the school's Healer and hopefully rein in the obvious glee that was threatening to break out all over the face of the "patient".

"Rule number 1: Mr. Black, you are required to come to the Great Hall for each meal. Whilst there are no students staying here for the holiday break, most of the teachers are back in residence. We generally suspend the formality of the High Table and eat around a large, round table at one end. You may join us there for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We continue to observe the standard in-session meal times." Dumbledore paused and when no comment was forthcoming from either party, he continued, "Rule number 2, you will refrain from wandering out of doors during this time. You are only recently recovering from quite a serious illness. I do not want a recurrence. Finally, if you feel unwell at all, you are to come straight to the hospital wing where Poppy will attend to you. Are we agreed?"

Sirius nodded, although he wasn't quite sure how dining with the teachers would suit him.

"Now, Poppy," the Headmaster turned to Madam Pomfrey. "For your part, you agree that you will not call Mr. Black here down to the hospital wing to perform any impromptu examinations to ensure that he is adhering to these rules. In return, I promise to deliver him to you, post-haste, if I find him deficient. Are _we_ agreed?"

Reluctantly, the Healer nodded.

Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Mr. Black, whilst we have relaxed the dining regimen in the Great Hall during the holiday season, we seldom arrive in our nightwear. Might I suggest that you run along to your dormitory, take advantage of the solitude of the showers, then rest up a bit before dressing and joining us for dinner later this evening?"

Sirius nodded, smiling widely. Once Poppy had left, grumbling under breath about 'relapses' and 'careful monitoring' and Dumbledore had exited the wing to return to his office, he rose carefully. In Poppy's earlier absence, Sirius had tried to rise and test his strength and, although he found himself to be much improved, he was still a bit woozy from being as inactive as he'd been. He wanted no swaying or momentary dizziness to shackle him to his hospital bed any longer. As he donned a set of working robes that had been retrieved for him from his room, Sirius suddenly understood why Remus found the dormitory much more conducive to a quick recovery each month than the ultra-controlled atmosphere of the hospital wing.

XXXXXXXX

It took Sirius much longer than the normal time to travel the distance from the hospital wing to Gryffindor tower. The stairs – which thankfully remained stationary – were still steep and climbing several flights proved taxing to his slowly returning strength. Standing before the Fat Lady's portrait that concealed the Gryffindor common room, Sirius took a few moments to catch his breath before providing the password.

"Wizarding Wheezes," he managed.

"Well, that's appropriate for _you_," the portrait replied, peering 'round the frame for a closer look at the young wizard before her. "Not too close," she admonished, backing up a bit as Sirius, breathing normally once again, inched closer to the portrait. "Obviously, you're ill and I must protect my voice, you know. It wouldn't do for me to come into contact with any germ that could do it harm." She cleared her throat and offered a few tentative trills as if checking to ensure that Sirius could not have possibly infected her so quickly.

Sirius grimaced at the sound. _I can't believe anything I could do could make that caterwauling any worse than it is right now!_ Impatient to be back in the dormitories, Sirius raised his voice slightly and waved his hands to call attention to himself.

"EXCUSE me!" When silence reigned once more, he continued, "_Wizarding_ _Wheezes_? I believe that's the correct password…"

"Oh, very well," she huffed, swinging to. "There! Satisfied?"

With a half bow toward the Portrait, Sirius made his way through the opening and sighed with _true_ satisfaction when he finally stood in the empty common room. Standing stock still for a moment, the young wizard closed his eyes, allowing the stillness to wash over him. He inhaled deeply, the scents of burned birch logs, chocolate and the lemony cleanser used by the house elves filling his nostrils and giving Sirius a feeling of warmth, belonging – _home_. He opened his eyes and glanced around him. _Even though I'm the only person here, I feel less alone than I did in London_, he said to himself, grimly. Recalling the owl he had sent to James just before dressing and leaving the hospital wing, Sirius' face split into a wide grin. He knew that James would reply promptly and he turned to the short flight of stairs that would take him to his dormitory room to await the return of his owl.

Intending only to rest for a short while, Sirius lay on top of his bed, leaving the bed hangings tied back as he settled in, facing the window. He was surprised to find himself jolted from sleep an hour later by the sound of increasingly irritated pecking against the windowpane. Sirius rose and unlatched the window to find a very annoyed school owl standing on the ledge. The bird stuck its leg out for Sirius to remove the parchment that was tied there. After he had done so, the bird gave his arm a nudge with its beak and it flew off in the direction of the Owlry. Sirius hurried to re-latch the window then sank down on the window seat to read his message. He smiled. _Good old Prongs._

_Padfoot,_

_Revolting family you've got – right bunch of bleeders, they are. It must've been bad if your father let you go back to Hogwarts with over a week left 'til term starts up again. You didn't say much, so plan on giving over_ _when we get back. 'Til then, never mind. You're safe now, mate. Heard from Remus; did you know that our presents for you came back to us? To tell you the truth, Pads, I thought you might've been having a bit of a tough time when my owl came back fully loaded with everything I sent him off with. We'll have our own Christmas when we get back. I'm sure you got _me _something brilliant! _

_Listen, Pads – do what Pomfrey tells you, yeah? Even if she gives you some disgusting potion or something, just take it. We're brothers – you and me – remember? Well, and Marauders, too, but brothers _first_. Right. Enough. I'm starting to sound like my mother._

_Oh - and … no pranks without me, yeah? What am I saying? You need_ me_ to get them right! (Ha, ha!) _

_See you soon…………Prongs_

Sirius found himself smiling as he read the message through twice more before folding it carefully and tucking it in the drawer of his bed stand. Glancing at the clock next to his bed, Sirius saw that he had time to sleep a bit before dinner so he stripped off his robes and slipped under the covers.

Two hours later, showered, dressed and feeling a bit more like himself, Sirius made his way to the Great Hall with fifteen minutes to spare. His stomach told him it was definitely time for dinner, but the lack of the raucous sounds that normally came from hundreds of hungry students was definitely disconcerting. Sirius entered the Hall and immediately noticed the large table set up at the far end of the room. As he approached, teachers drifted toward the table in pairs or alone, taking their seats and continuing their conversations. The atmosphere was decidedly more relaxed, if significantly less noisy.

"Ah, Mr. Black, there you are," McGonagall put her arm 'round his shoulders and turned him away from the table – toward the spot where Hagrid was standing with Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures professor. Sirius' initial confusion at his diversion was replaced by amusement as he caught sight of the two men before him. He smiled. _Talk about opposites! _Hagrid's belief that Blast-ended Skrewts and Hungarian Horntail dragons were '_'armless as kittens if yer treat 'em proper' _was legend throughout the school. Kettleburn, whose poor luck often saw him in the grumpy presence of the more challenging of magical creatures, harbored no such fantasies. Hagrid frequently saw it as his quest to win over the old professor; thus far he had experienced no success – but the debates were amusing to witness. Privately, the Marauders thought that if Kettleburn retired with all the limbs he was born with, he would be quite lucky, indeed. _This could be fun,_ Sirius thought to himself.

"Professor Kettleburn, Hagrid, Mr. Black has returned early for the new school term. He'll be joining us for dinner," McGonagall was saying. She gently patted Sirius' shoulder and he found himself bristling at what he guessed was a gesture of pity. Sirius turned sharply toward his Head of House, but when he met her eyes, he found no pity whatsoever. The usually severe Scotswoman looked back at him with a kind expression that betrayed her compassion, but did not offend him. Sirius relaxed, nodded and turned back to the other two men who were well into a debate about whether or not the Clabbert was as happy a creature as his wide grin would have one believe. Hagrid, of course, was firmly of the belief that the Clabbert was one of Wizarding Britain's happiest and most easily domesticated of creatures. Therefore, he reasoned, they should certainly be part of the curriculum at Hogwarts. Sirius suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He swore that Hagrid thought the Chimaera was merely misunderstood instead of the bloodthirsty, cunning creature it truly was.

"Hagrid, _please_," Kettleburn was saying in response, waving heavily bandaged fingers in the air in dismissal. "Clabberts are _not_ domesticated creatures. To begin with, they _disappear_ whenever they sense the presence of Muggles. Imagine how difficult it would be to have them here – with all the Muggle-born students in the castle."

The gamekeeper's response was lost to Sirius as McGonagall touched his arm and interjected herself into the midst of the conversation. "Gentlemen," she began. As she saw that only Sirius paid her any heed, she cleared her throat and tried again. "_Gentlemen, please!_" This got their attention. "We're ready for dinner," she said more quietly. "Come find your seat, Mr. Black."

Sirius turned toward the table and stopped in his tracks, feeling Professor McGonagall let go of his elbow and step away. Finding his seat would not be difficult. There, seated next to the only empty chair remaining at the table was James. _James_. Sirius felt himself well up and his vision blurred for a moment. _Bloody hell_, he thought to himself, blinking rapidly and swallowing the thick lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. James seemed to understand what his best friend was going through and he reverted to form.

"Well, mate, are you going to stand there all night, staring at me? I mean, it's fine and all that, but they won't serve anyone 'til we're all sitting down and it's not _on_ to make _everybody_ starve, is it?" With a sly grin, the bespectacled wizard moved the empty chair back with his foot and pointed at it. "Sit, Sirius; sit, boy!" James then shifted his gaze to his empty plate, knowing he'd danced closely enough to their mutual secret and needn't go any further.

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise, but James' comment did the trick. He snapped out of his semi-trance and sank into the chair next to his best mate. "How did you…? Your parents really let you …?" Sirius fell silent, realizing that he had somehow lost the ability to form full sentences.

Dumbledore's voice called for dinner to be served and, as usual, a wide variety of sumptuous food filled the serving dishes and plates 'round the table. Sirius glanced up at the Headmaster, who smiled widely back at him.

"When the Potters heard that you had returned to school unexpectedly, they were quite glad to allow James to return as well," he said quietly from his seat next to the boy. "You wouldn't want to spend almost a week rattling around the castle with only your professors for company, would you?" He winked at the young wizard.

James gave Sirius a gentle elbow to the ribs. "There's more, Sirius." With a glance over the other boy's head at the Headmaster, he continued, with a smile, "Remus will be here tomorrow."

Sirius' eyes grew wide and his fork clattered against his plate as he turned to look at his friend. "Remus?"

James reached over and helped himself to a large turkey drumstick from the gleaming platter in front of Sirius. "Yeah. Remus. You remember him, don't you mate? Kind of tall kid? Skinny? Always has his nose stuck in a book? Smells of Honeyduke's Finest? You know … _Remus_." He took a large bite from the drumstick, his eyes crinkling behind his glasses.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know who you _mean_, you git! But … his mother isn't usually happy to see him leave even when it's time to get the Express back to Hogwarts! How did he get her to let him come back _early_?"

James swallowed before turning to his friend. All but Dumbledore were preoccupied with their meals and conversations. James leaned over toward his friend. "We're _brothers_, remember? One of us is in trouble; all of us stand with him. _Family_, Sirius, isn't all about blood – _pure_ or otherwise."

Sirius kept his head down - deeply moved by James' words. When he trusted himself to speak, he asked, "Peter, too?"

James frowned. "Nah. _His _mum never lets go of him 'til the Hogwarts Express starts pulling out of the station and he _has _to get on board. No chance he could get away early." He smirked in an effort to lighten the mood. "But I'm sure he'll be _thrilled_ you missed him so."

His words had the desired effect. Sirius lifted his head and returned James' smirk. "Careful, there, Potter," he murmured. "We've got almost a week before the regular routine kicks in. Plenty of time to get back at you!" Sirius raised his head and caught Poppy Pomfrey looking pointedly at his plate. He flashed her a smile and picked up his fork, happily tucking into his dinner. He'd been right all along; _this _was home and the Marauders truly _were_ his family.

XXXXXXXX

Later that evening, when dinner was long over and the Great Hall cleared, the two friends settled in the Gryffindor common room.

"Fancy a game of Wizard Chess?" James asked. At Sirius' nod, he dragged the Gryffindor set from its cupboard and began to set it up on the low table before the blazing hearth.

"Haven't played this since we left for holiday," Sirius commented, dropping an overstuffed cushion onto the floor at one end of the table. He was unaware that James was watching him as Sirius proceeded to carefully lower himself to rest on the cushion's brocade surface. He sighed, feeling some residual stiffness in his back. When Sirius opened his eyes, it was to the sight of James, seated on the floor across from him, hazel eyes fixed firmly on his own. Sirius shrugged. "Apparently we're not going to play Wizard Chess straight away."

"Got it in one. What I really want to know _first _is what happened to you – and why in hell you're taking as long as my grandmother would to put your arse on a floor cushion," James replied. "Go on, mate."

"I thought Dumbledore told you everything," Sirius was puzzled. "Why else would you have come back early?"

James shook his head. "He told my parents you'd had some trouble at home and that you'd been brought back to school. The way he'd said it – I just knew something bad had happened. So did Mum and Dad; they agreed to let me come back to school straight away. But details? Dumbledore seemed to think that you would tell me when we saw each other. So…tell me." There was no missing the determination in James' voice – or in his eyes.

With a resigned sigh, Sirius gave James a brief rundown of the events of his time at home. Although Sirius did not provide the other boy with all of the details, those he _did _include were more than enough for James to know that he had been through hell. When Sirius finished, James was fighting for control of his anger.

"They can't be allowed to get away with this, Pads," James gritted out. "Didn't Dumbledore say he was going to do _anything_ about this?"

"Like _what?"_

James exhaled sharply. "How about _reporting _your mother, for one; your father for another?"

Sirius shook his head. "Jamie, who would he report them _to_? We're _Blacks_. My parents are very well connected. Even if there was someone he could report them to, it's not like anything would actually _happen_. Think about it, James. My father would get out of it." The boy paused. "Besides, he'd never let anything happen to _her_. He said that he couldn't get a Healer … well, it doesn't bloody matter what he said. Just…nothing would come of it. Let it go. As it is, I don't have to go back to Grimmauld Place until the summer holidays. I have other things I need to focus on right now."

James considered his friend. The crackling of the logs blazing in the fire was the only sound in the room for several long moments. "There's more. Tell me the rest of it."

"They've found me a 'suitable bride'," Sirius smiled humorlessly.

James' eyes widened behind his spectacles until it seemed that they filled the lenses. "_What_?"

"A _bride_, James. A pureblood witch _they _find good enough to marry the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Ofelia Bullstrode," Sirius confided. "She'll be coming to Hogwarts next week when the new term begins. She's been at Beauxbatons. We're to take the next year getting to know each other. A mere formality, really. It's an arranged marriage; Blacks do it all the time." Sirius slowly half-turned so that he faced the fire. He brought his knees up and clasped his arms 'round them loosely, still favoring the tender scars on his back.

James did not intrude on the silence. He knew Sirius well enough to know that pauses like this one typically allowed the other boy to gather his thoughts before continuing. Even though Sirius' reputation painted him otherwise, he was not always impulsive; when dealing with matters concerning his family. While James was the only Marauder in whom he confided the more painful aspects of his life at home, James wasn't stupid. He knew that he did not hear full details; Sirius' current silence bespoke of the careful editing process he applied to all disclosures. James poked absently at the chess pieces, ignoring their muttered protests and was finally rewarded when Sirius picked up the conversation once again.

"The arranged marriage piece of the Black family tradition dies here, Jamie," he said quietly. "I'm not going to do it. I won't marry Ofelia Bullstrode. I don't care what my parents say." Sirius turned his head and looked at James.

James' eyebrows lifted. "Sirius, look what they did to you _this time_! When you just _told _them that you didn't want to do it! Don't you think it will be bloody well _worse_ if you actually refuse to have anything to do with her?"

Sirius turned back toward the table. "Listen, James. They won't do anything to me if it's Ofelia's decision to walk away from _me_, right?"

James' face was skeptical. "And how do you think you'll pull that off? Isn't she happy to be marrying in to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?"

Sirius shook his head. "She didn't seem too happy about leaving Beauxbatons and coming here. Her father told her she had to do it for the family. You should have seen her face, Prongs; looked like someone backed over her Kneazle."

"I ask you again; how are you going to go about making her run crying home to Daddy?"

"I currently enjoy a reputation as being a bit of a randy dog, right?"

James nodded. "Right. So, you're going to make sure that she catches wind of it?"

Sirius smiled. "No, Jamie; I want it to hit her right between the bloody eyes."

James folded his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side as he regarded his best friend. "Not too bad, Padfoot. One problem, though."

"Yeah?"

"Kate," James leaned forward. "What do you plan to do about _Kate_, Padfoot?"

Sirius shook his head. "She can't be part of that, Jamie. You know how she reacted to that bint our first Hogsmeade weekend. I can't put her in that role, James. I can't use her to make Ofelia run; Kate will run right alongside her. I can't risk it."

"Right. But you'll tell her what's happening."

"I thought about it, but how can I? Ofelia knows all about Kate; her brother's already here – in _Slytherin_, of course. He's been telling his parents all about me, the tosser; that's part of what landed me in the basement. I've been given strict orders to change my boorish behavior. Ofelia's father wanted a guarantee that I'd straighten out for his little girl. Told my father that all bets were off if I didn't behave myself," Sirius finished.

James frowned. "I think not telling Kate is a huge mistake, Pads. Think about it. She's bound to hear about Ofelia and the arrangement your parents have made for you. Wouldn't it be better for her to hear it from you?"

Sirius rose – slowly. "Jamie, I _can't_. Don't you _see_? If she doesn't react properly, that Slytherin brother of Ofelia's will report back to her parents that I'm up to something. They'll bring _my _parents into it and _this_," Sirius stripped off his shirt and turned to show James the scars on his back. "_This _will be _nothing_ compared to what Mother will do to me _after _she's summoned me home." James looked at the criss-cross pattern of dark pink striping on his best friend's back and his gasp was audible. "Sirius!" he breathed.

Sirius shrugged his shirt back into place. "Yeah, Jamie. Nice, eh? That's the type of fuckin' family I've got. You know. If Kate doesn't get pissed off at me, no one will believe anything I'm doing – least of all Ofelia and her brother. And right after graduation, you can kiss the Marauders goodbye, Prongs. I'll be hand-fasted to this bint so fast your head will spin. No," he sat back down, shaking his head. "I can't risk it. I'll explain it to Kate when it's over."

James was still shocked at the look of his friend's back and he began to understand why the other boy was so adamant that things be done according to his own plan. "I just hope she'll be willing to listen to you when you finally decide to explain it all to her," James managed.

Sirius nodded. "It's a chance I have to take," he said quietly. "Now, how about that game?"

James sighed and began to prod the pieces back into place. _Why do I think this will blow up in our faces? Maybe Remus can talk some sense into the big git when he gets here tomorrow._


	17. Perspective is Everything

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 17 – Perspective is Everything

For Kate, the holiday was much less traumatic than it was for Sirius. While mother and daughter had not resolved their differences over that particular wizard, Kate's attitude softened considerably upon receiving the locket on Christmas morning. Felicity had parted with something Roderick had given to _her _many years ago, substituting the original photograph of the two of them to give Kate her own precious memory of her father. When Kate arrived in the sitting room that morning, her mother was sipping her morning coffee and both women became quite emotional when Kate hugged her mother in thanks. From that, mother and daughter found sufficient common ground in stories and memories of Roderick – and their family as a whole – to keep them from the topics that divided them. The respite, however, was a temporary one.

As the time for Kate's return to school drew nearer, Felicity's demeanor began to alternate between weepy melancholy at being left behind and a return to thinly veiled commentary about her daughter finding 'liaisons with _appropriate _Pureblood partners from the male population at Hogwarts. When, over Boxing Day dinner, Felicity broke their unspoken truce by bringing up her _friendship_ with Sirius and suggesting that it stood in the way of such relationships, Kate found that she had reached the end of her newly discovered tether. Rising from the table, Kate had thrown her napkin on her plate and quit the dining room, leaving a very surprised Felicity sitting at the head of the table, a spoonful of _blanc mange_ halfway to her mouth as she stared after her.

Pulling on her heavy boots and fastening her woolen cloak, Kate ventured out into the cold evening air. Once on the other side of her front door, Kate descended the front steps and began to walk briskly down the well-lit street. As she walked, Kate strove to clear her mind of her mother's single-minded dislike of Sirius and his family and calm the anger it provoked within her. _Sirius is nothing like his family_, she thought for what had to be the hundredth time since coming home. _Mother is judging him based on something that didn't even involve him. _As she considered this thought, Kate's pace slowed. _Ironic_, she mused. _Her mother hated Sirius because she perceived him to be as evil and cruel as the rest of the Blacks, whilst Sirius' _family_ seemed to hate him because he was _not_. _Kate shivered as she turned a corner and was met with a sudden burst of icy wind that stung her cheeks and made her eyes water. Turning her back to the fierce gusts, Kate blinked rapidly to clear her eyes. Glancing around, she realized that her pace had brought her to a small, gated park several blocks from her home. Not quite ready to return and face her mother, Kate crossed the street, unlatched the ancient black iron gate and slipped inside. The dense canopy of tree branches partially shielded her as Kate made her way along the familiar path toward a small gazebo she knew she would find at its end. Once there, she dusted off the fluffy blanket of snow covering the marble bench and sat down. Leaning back against the marble rail, Kate's eyes drifted to the sky and the moon. _Waning Gibbous_. Kate smiled to herself. Astronomy had not been a required course at Salem as it was at Hogwarts. Back then, she wouldn't have known the technical term for this stage of the moon. Prior to her return to England, Kate had only a passing acquaintance with planets, stars and constellations. Professor Sinistra was knowledgeable and passably interesting, but it was Sirius who really brought the subject to life for her. In some of their other classes, the young wizard's excessive energy, aversion to restraint and a lack of intellectual challenge led to inattentiveness; in Astronomy, however, he was like a different student altogether. Perhaps the one gift his family had given him was a strong affinity for the celestial. When their class took them away from books and high up to the Astronomy Tower for their studies, Sirius truly could give their professor a run for her money. Named for the brightest star – the alpha - in the constellation Canis Major, Sirius was the one who told her its history.

"_Canis Major is one of Orion's hunting dogs," he'd said with a grin. "Actually, he's the most important one." _

_Kate looked over at him, his profile illuminated by the bright, three-quarter moon. "And your star, 'Sirius' is that bright one – right where the _collar_ would fall?' She couldn't help but tease him a little. Sirius turned to face her full on, a look of mock horror on his handsome face. _

" 'Collar_'?! I think _not_! Sirius, madam, crowns the _head_ of the dog – and just below it – see? That smaller star just there? That falls over its heart." To illustrate his point, he lifted her hand toward the constellation above them, stopping at _Sirius_ then tracing a line to the next star below as he spoke_. "Sirius _is the largest of Orion's hunters; he's loyal and brave and his heart is very true." At this, Sirius brought her hand to rest on the center of his chest and covered it with his own. The heartbeat beneath her palm quickened. Taking a step closer to her, Sirius dropped his voice to a point just above a whisper. He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand where it still rested over his heart. "Do you know what the word 'Sirius' means?" _

_Kate shook her head, feeling her own heart rate accelerate sharply. _

_Sirius leaned in closer. "_Scorching._"_

_Kate's eyes dropped to his mouth – his lips slightly parted and his breath warming her face. She began to lean forward before a snigger to her right reminded her of their surroundings. _

_They looked over to see James and Peter grinning at the two of them, eyebrows waggling suggestively. "Getting a leg up on your homework, you sly _dog_?" James called over._

_Kate gently tugged her hand from Sirius' grasp then stepped back and looked around them. Class was indeed over as the last of the students were filing out the door to begin the long climb down to their respective dormitories. She heard Sirius' soft sigh._

"_Very funny, James," Sirius muttered, then allowed his usual lazy grin to slide back into place before adding, a bit louder, "Actually, I was just helping Kate with her Latin vocabulary." He caught her eye and gave her a sly wink. Kate returned it and smiled before turning to fully face the others._

"_Yes, a _hot_ topic like that is bound to come up on OWLs this year," she said. "Good night." And with that, Kate had moved toward the stairwell. The last thing she heard before beginning her descent was Sirius' great bark of laughter._

The sound of voices brought Kate out of her reverie and presently, a young couple strolled into view. Holding hands and conversing quietly, the gazebo was their obvious destination and Kate rose as they approached. She was chilled and had been away for longer than she had intended. Smiling at the couple as she passed, Kate hurriedly retraced her steps back down the path, exiting the park and latching the gate behind her. As she walked back toward her home – and the inevitable consequence of her earlier exit – Kate's thoughts turned again to Sirius. She remembered the warmth of his hand against hers, the feel of his lips as they kissed, and in that moment of memory, Kate knew that she loved him - it was as simple as that. An inexperienced sixteen year-old she may very well be, but she knew her own mind and heart. And she also knew that nothing Felicity could say or do would change that fact. Squaring her shoulders with newfound resolve, Kate quickened her steps and soon found herself standing in front of her mother's house. No longer dreading the confrontation she knew awaited her inside, Kate skipped up the steps and slipped into the warmth and silence of the front hall.

"Kate?" Felicity's voice floated down from the second floor and Kate followed it up the single flight of stairs, stopping at the open doorway to her mother's bedroom.

"Yes, Mother; I'm home."

Felicity was in bed, propped up on frilly pink and white bed pillows and covered with a lacy white comforter. Her facial expression registered her disapproval at her daughter's conduct. "I was very worried," she said, her voice somewhat chilly.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, but I am quite alright," Kate said firmly.

"Where were you?"

"I needed some fresh air so I took a walk. I stopped in the little park a few blocks from here." Kate was determined to shut down this topic of conversation as quickly as possible.

"You were gone quite some time," Felicity observed, watching her daughter's face closely. "Did you run into anyone we know?"

_Do not rise to the bait_, Kate instructed herself. "No, Mother. As I told you, I found myself in need of some fresh air and I suppose I lost track of time."

Felicity observed her daughter silently for a few moments before speaking again. "You have only a few days left before you return to Hogwarts, Kate. I do not want to spend them at odds with you."

"Nor do I, Mother," Kate said quietly. "But you need to understand that I am not prepared to begin canvassing Hogwarts for a suitable Pureblood husband. I am sixteen years old. My friends are just that: friends. When and if I decide to marry, it will be for love – and it won't happen for a good, long while. It's pointless for us to waste time discussing it now, and it only puts us out of sorts, besides."

"I only want what's best for you," Felicity's mouth settled itself in a firm line. "And sixteen is the age when allegiances are formed in our world. You are completely unreasonable about the potential harm that can come from this _friendship_ with Sirius Black."

Kate suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Mother…."

"No! Listen to me," Felicity cut her off sharply. "I loved your father dearly and I don't regret for a moment my decision to marry him. That said, what happened to us – to _him_ – on the whim and prejudice of a Pureblood wizard was the most painful thing I have ever endured; it should never happen to anyone again – certainly not to anyone within our family. I will _not _take any risks where you are concerned. You are to sever ties with Sirius Black; you are _not _to associate with him. This boy's life is destined to follow a path very different from your own; his family will see to it. No matter what Sirius Black has told you, Kate, his family may be allowing him a little freedom now but he will ultimately go back to them to live the life they have planned for him. No matter what he may have said to you about his relationship with them – he is a Black and he will not turn his back on the status, wealth and privilege that his name assures. He has no future with you; if he has not told you that already, I am telling you now."

Kate's expression was mutinous. "You know _nothing_ about Sirius; nothing _at all_. He is not like his family; he doesn't believe in all the Pureblood nonsense they spout at him. I've lost track of the number of times I have said these words to you in the short time I've been home. I'm at a loss as to how better to phrase it! He was sorted into _Gryffindor_, Mother, whilst all other members of his family have been _Slytherin_. But you _are _right about one thing: _prejudice _is wrong and _no one_ should suffer the effects of it. It doesn't matter if you're Pureblood or Muggle or something in between; what matters is what you believe in and how you live. Sirius lives his life very differently than his parents. He doesn't _care _about status or wealth or privilege – particularly if it's connected to the Black name. I won't discontinue my friendship with him based on your prejudice."

Felicity quivered with appreciable anger and not a little bit of desperation at her daughter's outright defiance. She played her final card. "You will do well to remember that I am your mother and that you are required to live by my rules until you are of age. I pay your tuition, young lady – and that tuition is paid to the school of _my _choosing. You will abide by my wishes in the matter of Sirius Black or you may find yourself pursuing your education at another institution!" She took a deep breath in an effort to bring herself under control. "It is late; I suggest you get some sleep. Perhaps by morning you will be thinking more sensibly." With that, Felicity reached for the brass snuffer and extinguished the candle beside her bed. Settling herself deeper into her bedclothes, Felicity glanced toward the doorway to see Kate's figure still silhouetted in the dim light from the hall. "Good night, Kate," she added, quietly. Thus dismissed, Kate turned and silently made her way to her room.

After she had closed her door behind her, Kate bypassed her bed and sat down heavily on the window seat. Her shock at her mother's lecture and abrupt dismissal outweighed her anger and, if Kate was to be completely honest with herself, her shock was mixed with more than a little apprehension that Felicity would be true to her word and remove her from Hogwarts. Kate leaned her forehead against the cold windowpane. _I can't bear to start all over again in a new school, knowing no one. _She knew Felicity would send her to Beauxbatons, her own alma mater. Kate also knew that French Pureblood families were as ridiculously snobbish – if not more so – than those here in England and she had had no desire to put herself in the midst of a group of affected, self-absorbed teenage girls. _And even less desire to walk away from Lily, Remus and, most especially, from Sirius._ The tears came then and Kate let them fall unchecked, as she could not purge from her mind the thought that this could, indeed, come to pass. After awhile, however, Kate's fatigue – both physical and emotional – began to blur the edges of her thoughts and she realized that she could do nothing productive about her problem without sleep. As she shifted her position and began to rise, a rustling noise caught her attention and she shoved her hand along the gap between the cushion and the wall. Encountering a folded piece of parchment there, Kate gently grasped and pulled it into the pool of light shining in from the street lamp.

"What in the world…?" Kate began, but then remembered the parchment that had fallen away with the wrapping from her locket on Christmas morning. Curiously, she broke the scarlet wax seal that held the fold and smoothed the creases until the pages lay flat. As Kate did so, she found the pages filled with small, cramped writing that she immediately recognized as her father's.

'_My darling Kate,_

_As I write, it's Christmas Eve and the snow is falling. You've just gone to bed – having endured me as I read from our traditional holiday story list. I fear you have possibly grown too old – at the advanced age of 12 – to suffer through this much longer, but I am glad that you've indulged your old Dad for one more year._

_You are growing up so quickly – perhaps too quickly. I am very proud indeed of the person you are becoming: strong, intelligent, compassionate, courageous; you will need all of these qualities as you make your way in life. Kate, our world is rapidly changing and lately I find myself despairing of the direction it seems to be taking. I worry what kind of world we will be leaving for you when it's time for you to take your place in it. I wonder if I will be here still to watch you make your mark on our world – and if it will truly _be _'our world' when you do. In the event that I am not, I have left this with your mother – with instructions to give it to you when she thinks you are old enough to appreciate a bit of paternal guidance, as I hope this will be. I have not told her the contents and I doubt she would read this on her own; she understands that I mean this to be between us. I would ask that you not reveal – to your mother or anyone else - certain things that I will tell you. I share them with _you_ not to frighten you unduly, but because I firmly believe that I will not be with you to protect you from some of the Dark aspects of our world. This knowledge, therefore, is all that I can give you to help you protect yourself – and perhaps your mother, as well – from certain of those forces. Please know that this is a very difficult letter that I write to you; even more difficult, however, is the thought of you living your life without this knowledge._

_Many in our world define value by the purity of blood and the accumulation of the wealth, power and social status they feel is their due. Some of the more prominent Pureblooded wizarding families feel that they are above those whose blood has been 'diluted' over the years. My own family never embraced that philosophy; perhaps it is because in America, less emphasis is placed on ancestry and more on character. I must tell you, Kate, that my parents – your grandparents – raised me to believe that the way we live our lives is far more important than measuring the value of a person by the purity of his bloodline alone. I have followed that teaching my whole life and have never regretted it. I am passing it on to you – not because you behave in contrast to it, quite the opposite. I have seen you with your friends and you already live according to that belief system. I share this with you to ensure that you stand up to anyone who tries to teach you otherwise – and I put no restrictions on the definition of 'anyone'. Those who pursue their thirst for power and position on a platform of Pureblood superiority will call upon the darker side of our world to accomplish their goals. Less courageous believers will allow themselves to be manipulated and used by them until they are sucked into the darkness. Still others will be governed by their own fears and will do nothing to stand in the way of those who would grab power for their own benefit. _Even at your young age, you are fair-minded and just – and your blood is as Pure as those who are neither. _I implore you to stand firm in your convictions; maintain an open mind and heart to where your convictions will lead you. Do not allow yourself to be swayed by those who would have you embrace their allegiance to Pureblood rule. _

_Your mother's family, too, is Pureblooded and believes in the superiority of their kind – and their entitlement to information not theirs to possess. While they would not overtly pursue such knowledge on their own, they have an unfortunate history of aligning themselves with those who would. They do not wish to harm you, my daughter; but their shortsightedness may inadvertently endanger your well being. Be mindful of their frailties so that you are not compromised by them. Always be true to your beliefs and to your standards, remembering that things are not always what they seem, and you will never be led down the wrong path._

_How I wish that I could see you now – see you as the young woman you must undoubtedly have become. I hope it finds you healthy, happy and secure in the knowledge of who you are…and walking only in the Light. Always remember how much I love you, Kate._

_Dad_

Kate finished reading the letter and slowly sat back against the alcove wall. She drew her hands over her face to clear the tears from her cheeks. She could picture him in his study, parchment and quill before him, snow swirling against the windowpane as he wrote. Kate's hand went up to locket that rested just below the hollow of her throat and she thought of the picture it contained. Their tradition had, indeed, ended that Christmas Eve. Kate closed her eyes, considering the things her father had told her – particularly those concerning her mother's family. She was hardly surprised, given all that Felicity had shared with her earlier in her holiday. It seemed, though, that even after they had relocated to Salem, her father maintained his concern about the Needhams. Was he concerned that they would learn their whereabouts and somehow harm the family? Kate paused. Or was Roderick simply worried that the Needhams would buckle under any undue pressure exerted by the Blacks to reveal their whereabouts? Either way, it was clear that Roderick's worries accompanied them to America and, given the events that ultimately transpired, they were clearly justified.

A shiver ran through Kate and she glanced toward her closed bedroom door, noting the sliver of light beneath it and realizing that the hallway lamp remained lit. Kate rose from her place, carefully folding the precious parchment as she did so. She walked quickly to her wardrobe, suddenly anxious to find a secure place for the letter until her return to school. Rummaging around inside one of the cupboards, she finally found a small, flat box. Discarding the tissue paper it contained, she gently placed the parchment inside and replaced the cover. Turning to her trunk, she lifted the lid, and propped it open. Kate's hand slipped inside, past the Christmas gifts she had packed for her return to Hogwarts, past her jumpers, her books - until she reached the very bottom. She slid her fingers to the back corner until they encountered a small lever. Kate pressed it firmly and slid the newly loosened panel toward her until a hidden compartment was fully revealed. Into this narrow compartment, she slipped her father's letter, quickly replacing the panel that covered it and then piling her belongings back in their original spaces. Closing the lid once again, Kate sat heavily on the trunk as a new thought struck her. While her father's letter merely supported Felicity's tale of her family's Pureblood obsession – and of Roderick's disdain for it – it also underscored Kate's position regarding Sirius. She closed her eyes and thought back to his words:

"Even at your young age, you are fair-minded and just – and your blood is as Pure as those who are neither. I implore you to stand firm in your convictions; maintain an open mind and heart to where those convictions will lead you."

Kate thought of every word she had ever uttered in Sirius' defense, first to Lily Evans and then to her own mother. Whilst she always felt justified, her father had unwittingly provided further vindication. "…the way we live our lives is far more important than measuring the value of a person by the purity of his bloodline alone." Or the reputation that clings to that bloodline, Kate thought to herself.

As Kate pondered the message her father had left for her, she felt her exhaustion return. Glancing at the clock next to her bed, she was stunned to see that it was approaching 3 am. She rose and walked into her bathroom, making quick work of washing her face and cleaning her teeth. Donning her pajamas, Kate slipped into bed and settled herself beneath the warmth of her comforter. As tired as she was, Kate expected sleep to come to her immediately. Instead, distracted by the images and thoughts her father's words provoked, the first blush of dawn had crept into her window before Kate finally slept.

XXXXXXXX

A resounding splat echoed in the morning air as the snowball caught the dark haired wizard on the back of his neck.

"Moony!" came the outraged cry as Sirius whipped around to see his grinning friend standing several feet away. As his victim bent down to pick up a retaliatory mound of snow, Remus Lupin's voice reached his ears.

"Ah, ah, ah, Padfoot," he called to his friend. "Better look up…" He pointed to the neat pile of snowballs floating gracefully at his waist, held securely by gentle motions from Remus' wand.

"Clever, clever wolf," Sirius responded, dropping his own snowball in defeat. "I bow to your prowess," he added, bending low from the waist.

"High time," Remus chuckled, vanishing his arsenal and approaching Sirius. "It's early for you to be up and about, isn't it? We've only a couple of days left before the new term begins. I didn't think we'd see you 'til lunch time."

Sirius fell in step with his friend and continued to walk with him toward the lake. He shook his head. "No point in sleeping the day away, isn't that what you always tell us, Remus?"

"Can't recall any of you lot ever listened to me before."

"First time for everything, Moony old man."

"Hmm. So, what's brought you from your bed this fine morning? It's more than a desire to get on with the day, I think," Remus nudged the other boy lightly with his shoulder.

The two boys reached the large beech tree under which the Marauders had spent much time during better – and warmer – weather. Sirius leaned down and vanished the layer of snow from a large patch of earth, cast a warming charm upon it and gestured to Remus that they should sit down. They settled themselves and gazed out over the lake silently. Remus knew that Sirius would speak only in his own time and he was comfortable waiting. Eventually, Sirius rewarded his patience.

"Go ahead, Moony; do your worst," Sirius said quietly.

"Well, Pads, if you mean that I should offer my opinion about your plan to rid yourself of Ofelia Bullstrode, I think I shall," Remus began. "Personally, I think James has already said it all, but I wouldn't be a very good friend to you if I didn't at least try." He paused. "You know, of course, that Kate can only be hurt by what you're planning to do."

Sirius sighed. "She'll get angry with me, Remus. You saw her earlier this year after our first Hogsmeade weekend." Without waiting for confirmation, he continued. "Kate will be that angry at the very least. As I told Prongs, Ofelia will know about Kate; that bloody pillock of a brother of hers will have told her. Hells, if he hasn't, it's certain my darling mother will have mentioned her. Ofelia will be watching her, Moony, and if Kate doesn't react the way a jilted girlfriend would, she'll run crying to Daddy and I'll get yanked out of here quicker than you can say, "Hand-fasting"!"

Remus sighed. "Don't you think you're selling Kate a bit short on this, Pads? If given the full story, I think she's capable of playing the role that's needed – particularly given what's at stake…"

Sirius shook his head, jumped up from his seat and stood before his friend, hands balled into fists at his side, his body tense. "Tell me, Remus, when I speak, what do you and James hear? Is it some remote Goblin dialect? Perhaps it's Mermish; is that it? A high-pitched gurgling sound from the depths of the Black Lake? Because I've repeated this story to both of you several times and neither of you seems to get it. I can't risk Kate, ok? I can't risk that she won't be able to convince the Bullstrode bint that I've well and truly left her. I also can't risk that some Slytherin…like Ofelia's brother … might decide that Kate's faking it and go after her to get to me. Do you get it now, Remus? Do you? Because I could really use a little bit of support from my mates here, instead of having to constantly defend myself. To tell you the truth, Remus, between second-guessing every fucking thing I say in London and now, having to explain every fucking decision I make to the two of you, it's getting a bit exhausting!" Ignoring Remus as he called out to him, Sirius turned and ran full out back up toward the castle.

"Well, that certainly didn't go the way we thought it might, Prongs," Remus muttered as he stood and made his way – at a slower pace – in the direction his best friend had taken.

XXXXXXXX

Two days later, Platform 9 ¾ rang with the enthusiastic voices of students as they greeted those they had missed over the holiday and bade farewell to parents and siblings. The Hogwarts Express gleamed in all its scarlet splendor as it waited on the tracks for its passengers to finally board.

Kate pushed her trolley through the barrier with ease and paused to wait for her mother to emerge behind her. She did so after a moment and the two women continued to walk toward the train. They did not speak to one another more than was necessary, their recent falling-out still lying heavily between them. As they approached the train, a very tall, redheaded young man approached them and Kate recognized him as Gideon Prewett, a Gryffindor 7th year.

"Need a hand with that trunk?" he asked, already reaching down to lift it.

"Oh, yes. Thanks very much," Kate replied. "I won't be a moment." With that, she turned to Felicity who was, predictably, watching the exchange with a knowing smile.

"Good-bye, Mother," Kate leaned in and kissed Felicity quickly on the cheek. "Take care of yourself." Kate turned to board the train, but Felicity grabbed her arm, stopping her departure.

"Kate, please," she said, quietly. "I hate for us to part this way. You've barely said two words to me in the past several days. Can't we just put our disagreement behind us?"

Kate looked at her mother closely. "You threatened to take me out of Hogwarts if I don't end a friendship that means a great deal to me. Have you changed your position on Sirius?"

Felicity's eyes were sad, but her face was resolute. "He will cause you great harm, Kate; I cannot change my mind."

Kate shook her head and took a step back from her mother. "Then I have nothing more to say to you." Kate turned to Gideon who was still waiting by the trolley. "Thank you for waiting. I'm ready to board now."

Without looking back, Kate stepped up onto the train and began to walk down the narrow corridor, seeking an empty compartment. Finding one in the third car, she thanked Gideon for storing her trunk in the overhead and settled herself in a seat by the window to wait for the rest of her friends to arrive. It wasn't long before the compartment door slid open and Kate turned to see her best friend enter, dragging her trunk behind her.

"Here, let me help you with that," Kate offered, rising quickly and helping Lily lift and store her trunk next to Kate's. After they had finally secured the item, Lily turned to Kate and gave her an exasperated smile. "I thought these smaller trunks were supposed to be easier!" Kate smiled back at the redhead, her mood improving by the minute. They hugged warmly and fell into easy conversation as they took their seats.

"Mind if I join you?" the stocky form of Peter Pettigrew hovered uncertainly in the doorway.

Lily and Kate looked at each other in surprise. "Not at all," Lily said. "But where are the rest of your band of merry wizards?"

Peter smiled. "They're already at school," he told them. "Something about Sirius having to come back early so James and Remus convinced their families to let them come, too."

Kate frowned. "Is Sirius alright, Peter?"

The boy shrugged. "I didn't get the details. It didn't sound like it was anything to worry about, Kate."

"Why didn't you join them?" Lily wanted to know.

Peter glanced through the window beyond the two witches, his eyes shifting until they landed on what he was looking for. He inclined his head toward the glass. "My mother."

Lily and Kate both followed his gaze and saw a small, brown-haired woman, her plain brown cloak clutched tightly around her pudgy figure, handkerchief pressed firmly to her nose. "She misses me," he finished, rolling his eyes slightly. "This is the earliest she's ever let me board."

Kate and Lily chuckled and Peter joined in as, with a lurch, the Hogwarts Express began rolling out of the station toward its destination.

The young witches spent the initial travel time catching up after being separated for the holidays and Peter was immersed in the chocolate frogs he obtained from the passing sweet trolley. As their journey progressed, however, Lily abandoned conversation for a Muggle novel she'd received as a Christmas gift. Peter excused himself with a vague comment about going to look for a student he'd discovered lived in his neighborhood in London. Kate began to feel drowsy from the combination of the train's movement and the lack of sleep over the past few days. Before she knew it, Lily was calling her name and shaking her shoulder gently. Kate opened her eyes and looked toward the window. It was dark and the train had come to a stop.

"We're here," Lily said, a smile on her face, as she stood upright again. "Ready to go?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, let's get some air," she said, smiling.

The girls alighted from the train and waved to Hagrid as they moved toward the horseless carriages that were waiting to take the students back to Hogwarts for the half-term Welcoming Feast.

"I wonder if the boys will be at dinner," Kate mused. She found that she was missing Sirius quite a bit.

Lily shook her head at her friend. "Kate, when have you known those three to miss a meal?"

XXXXXXXX

The Great Hall began to fill with students. At the Gryffindor table, James, Remus and Sirius had already claimed their seats and were watching the huge double doors expectantly. Neither Remus nor James had been able to talk any sense into their friend, although Sirius had gone to Remus and most sincerely apologized for all that he'd said to him by the lake. Understanding Sirius' state of mind as a result of all he'd experienced over the holiday, Remus reassured his anxious friend that all was fine between them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Remus saw James run his hands through his untidy hair in an attempt to bring some order to the unruly locks. Predictably, it only made the appearance worse, a fact not lost on the redheaded reason for his stab at grooming. "Nice hair, Potter," Lily murmured, sitting in the space the wizard had left hopefully vacant for her.

James just sat there, smiling stupidly.

Sirius' snap to attention was two-fold. Kate had been standing behind Lily and was only revealed after the latter had taken her seat. Regrettably, there was no more space on their side of the table and so, with a squeeze to his shoulder and a soft, 'hello', Kate walked 'round the end of the table and sat next to Remus, who welcomed her warmly.

"Hey, Katie," Sirius said, still staring at the doors to the Hall. "Good Christmas?"

Kate looked at Remus curiously, but at his shrug, she turned back to Sirius and replied. "It was all right, thanks." She refrained from asking about his holiday, suspecting that his abrupt return to school signaled that it had not gone well.

Sirius nodded and continued to watch the door; finally, Narcissa Black and Severus Snape entered, flanking a stunning, slender blonde witch Kate could not remember seeing before. She turned to ask Sirius if he knew her and noted that he was following the trio's progress to the end of the Slytherin table on the other side of the hall. She could not read the expression on his face, but his cheeks blazed with color. Kate leaned across the table.

"Sirius, who is that blonde witch with Severus and your cousin?"

Sirius turned reluctantly toward Kate. "Oh, that's Ofelia Bullstrode; she's transferring to Hogwarts this year from Beauxbatons." He turned back toward the Slytherin table where the witch in question was sitting on the end of the bench next to a young man who resembled her so closely, Kate was sure he had to be her brother.

Kate felt her heart slip a bit. "Do you know her?"

Sirius did not meet Kate's eyes as he answered. "Yes. Her parents are friendly with mine and she spent some time at Grimmauld with us during the holiday."

"Pretty girl."

Sirius nodded, smiling as he did so. "Very."

Kate felt her heart drop the remainder of the way to her stomach, but she was precluded from further conversation as the Headmaster called for everyone's attention from his place at the large podium.

"Welcome back, welcome back, everyone! I trust that your holidays were happy ones and that you've all returned with a renewed focus for your studies." Dumbledore paused, eyes twinkling as he allowed the good-natured grumbling to subside. "Before we tuck into what I'm sure will be an incredible dinner, we have a bit of business to attend to." The Headmaster nodded to Professor McGonagall, who was off to the side of the High Table. Immediately, she came forward, carrying a wooden stool and the familiar form of the Sorting Hat. A buzz arose from those gathered and once again Dumbledore held up his hands for silence.

"We have a new student joining us from Beauxbatons Academy in France. Her family would like her to pursue the remainder of her magical education in a traditional English school and have selected Hogwarts with that in mind. I would like to ask Miss Ofelia Bullstrode to step up to the front so that we may sort you into your new House."

A smattering of applause followed Dumbledore's words, a sound that grew stronger as the male population of students got its first look at the beautiful young woman at the front of the Hall. Ofelia gracefully seated herself upon the stool and sat very still as McGonagall placed the ancient hat upon her head and stepped away. Silence reigned for almost five minutes, during which time Sirius thought his heart would beat right out of his chest. His gaze shifted from Ofelia to Kate and he could barely stop himself from reaching over and taking Kate's hand. Sirius focused on his ultimate plan, however, and kept his hands – clenched together tightly – in his lap. Why aren't you Sorting her, you manky old thing? Will this never be over? Just as this thought left Sirius' mind, the slashed brim of the Sorting Hat opened and its voice ripped through the Hall:

"Slytherin!"

Ofelia rose from the stool, her face expressionless, and returned to her seat next to Arturo.

"There's a real pity, mate," Peter was saying to Sirius as the stool and Sorting Hat were whisked away. "Would have been nice to have that bird in Gryffindor!"

The thump of James' palm on the back of Peter's head was muted by Dumbledore's booming voice from the podium, announcing the start of the feast.

As the food appeared on the plates before them, Sirius caught the confused expression on Kate's face and found he suddenly wasn't very hungry any more. When he looked up and found himself on the receiving end of one of James' angry glares, Sirius decided he didn't even want to be there any longer. He rose, mumbling something about doing some reading before bed.

As he made his way out of the Great Hall, Sirius was unaware that a pair of dark eyes tracked his progress from the Slytherin table, watching until Sirius' figure had disappeared from view.


	18. Plans Put in Motion

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 18 – Plans Put in Motion

"Lily said that you'd come back to school a few days early. Are you alright?"

Sirius looked up from his book to see Kate perched at the opposite end of the Common Room sofa. Glancing around quickly, he noted that the few students present were paying little attention to their end of the room. He dropped his eyes back to his book. "Yeah, I'm fine; there just wasn't anything to do in London but listen to my parents." He looked up at Kate. "There's an expiration date on my tolerance for that particular activity."

Kate smiled at his response; it was much more in keeping with their conversations prior to the holiday break. She settled back a little more comfortably on the sofa. "You mentioned that your family had guests for the holidays. That must have been fun for you."

Sirius barely hid a sigh. Kate was trying so hard to reestablish things between them – or perhaps she was only trying to figure out why he wasn't behaving as he had been before. Two days into the term and he'd been lucky so far; he hadn't had very many opportunities to chat with Kate. Those he'd had occurred at dinner or when the Common Room was fairly well occupied, making conversations of a more personal nature difficult to sustain. This had suited Sirius just fine, for even though he knew he would have to put his plan into motion, he also dreaded it. He remembered his promise never to hurt Kate and he was keenly aware that this was exactly what he would be doing now. _It's for a good cause, though Katie; if you can just see it through without giving up on me forever, I promise it will be ok in the end. _He took a deep breath. _Best get on with it. The sooner this starts, the sooner it will be over._

"Sirius?" Kate was looking at him quizzically, obviously wondering if he'd heard her.

"Oh – sorry, just thinking. Yeah, it _was _…fun," Sirius gave her a smirk. "I told you the Bullstrodes have been close to my parents for a long time. They have a son who's a Slytherin 7th year."

"Arturo," Kate supplied.

_Been doing some research, have you? _"Yes, Arturo. Do you know him?"

Kate shook her head. "No. Dorcas mentioned that he was brilliant in Potions and had tutored some of the younger students in his House."

"Yeah, the whole family's full of brilliant witches and wizards," Sirius told her, recalling some of the fodder his mother had been jabbering on about. Seizing on something he remembered from their dinner, he continued. "Ofelia was top of her class at Beauxbatons; got top marks in just about everything whilst she was there. She can hex people in _French_, too! Pretty bloody impressive, that!"

Kate nodded, smiling weakly. "Amazing."

Sirius closed his book and leaned into the cushion between them. Dropping his voice conspiratorially he added, "She should give Lily Potter a run for her money."

"You think there's a big demand for bilingual spell casting at Hogwarts?" Kate was feeling a bit prickly at Sirius' obvious admiration for this girl.

Sirius lifted an eyebrow. "There just _might be_, Kate. You never know, do you?"

Kate snorted, reaching for her book bag and preparing to rise from her seat.

Sirius went in for the kill. "S'pose it really doesn't matter much in the end, though."

Kate stood. "Really? And why is that?"

Sirius smiled. "C'mon, Katie! Birds who look like that one don't even have to open their mouths to get a bloke's attention. She's _bloody gorgeous_!"

Kate clenched the strap of her bag so tightly her knuckles turned white, but she was spared a response when Peter burst into the room, calling Sirius' name.

The pudgy wizard stopped in front of the pair and took a moment to get his breath.

"Steady, mate," Sirius chuckled. "What's the hurry?"

"That – that girl," Peter stammered. "The new one – what's her name? Ofelia, right? Yeah, that's it - _Ofelia_. Well, you wanted to know when she was off by herself and she _is_. I just saw her sitting out in the west courtyard by the fountain. She just sat down, so you should still be able to catch her ... hey, what's with Kate?" Peter turned from Sirius and watched as Kate suddenly bolted from the room, pulling open the door and escaping into the hallway beyond. He looked back at his friend with a confused look, one that deepened as he saw the misery on Sirius' face.

"Sirius?"

The dark haired wizard shook his head. "Have you ever made a plan to accomplish something that you _know_ has to work and then, when it does, you're sorry it did?"

The other boy's eyebrows drew together as he tried to sort out the question. Giving up, he looked over at his friend. "Not sure I totally get what you asked me, mate, but since I've never come up with a plan that _did _work, I don't think I can answer you."

Sirius' smile was grim as he picked up his book and headed for the door. "Never mind, Petey, but thanks for the information. I'd better get going."

With that, he quietly left the Common Room and headed off through the portrait hole.

"Sirius Black! What are _you _doing wandering the hallways?" a feminine voice greeted him as he rounded a corner. Sirius turned to find Delilah Hornsby standing there, hands on her hips and a sultry smile on her face.

Sirius looked at her for a few moments before pasting a similar smile on his own face in response. _Time for phase two_, he thought to himself as he walked slowly over to the attractive 6th year. "Delilah," he drawled, taking her hand. "Have you ever seen the marble fountain in the west courtyard?"

Delilah giggled. "I didn't even know there _was _a 'west courtyard'."

Sirius winked and started to walk, pulling her along with him. "Probably because it's so _secluded_. Care for a tour?"

Delilah squeezed his hand and moved close enough to him that their shoulders bumped as they walked. "Well, since we've got a couple of hours to kill before dinner," she purred. "I'd _love_ one."

XXXXXXXX

Kate hurried to an unoccupied table at the far end of the library and sat down heavily, dropping her bag to the floor with a _thud_. She crossed her arms on the surface of the table and leaned forward until her forehead rested on them, working to bring her emotions under control. The distraught witch closed her eyes and focused on the cool stillness of the library, resolutely pushing aside the persistent images of her encounter with Sirius. Finally, she felt a bit calmer and sat back in the chair. _What in Merlin's name had just _happened_ up there? _Kate had recognized that Sirius was behaving differently toward her two days ago, when they'd all gotten back to school. At that time, Kate had put it down to the time he'd spent at home with his family and whatever had caused him to return to Hogwarts earlier than planned. Certainly, she had expected them to pick up where they'd left off before term had ended; she'd had no reason to think otherwise. She wracked her brain to identify anything she might have said or done upon her arrival in the Great Hall that might have put him off. As Kate replayed the events of the past two days in her mind, she realized that Sirius' apparent change of heart had already occurred by the time they saw each other again. He had not saved a spot for her at dinner that night and he had seemed completely preoccupied by this new witch from Beauxbatons. He hadn't sought Kate out once since they'd returned; today had been the first chance the two of them had had to talk. Kate felt her throat tighten. _And he certainly wasn't interested in _me_; he definitely had the 'bloody gorgeous', French-hexing transfer student on his mind the whole time we were talking. _And when Peter got there and announced that she was _finally_ alone – just as Sirius had apparently asked him to do – Kate would have had to be blind not to see that Sirius was just waiting for the opportunity to join her. She was certain he had left immediately after her own departure through the portrait hole; there was certainly nothing left in the Common Room to keep him there. Kate's vision blurred as, to her dismay, hot tears spilled down her cheeks and splashed onto the well-worn surface of the table. She pillowed her head on her arms once again and cried until soft pressure on her shoulder made her sit up sharply.

"Lily!"

"Kate, what is it?" the redhead sat down in the chair next to Kate's and reached over to put her hand on the other girl's arm. "I went looking for you in the Common Room, but Peter said you'd left awhile ago. What happened? Wait … does this have something to do with Black?" The witch's green eyes narrowed and two pink spots appeared in her cheeks. "Did you finally catch him alone to talk with him? What has he done? I swear, I'll hex the hair from his head if he's…what?"

Kate put her hand over Lily's and shook her head firmly. "Lily, stop, please? I don't want to talk about it now. Maybe later, ok? I have a headache and I think I'll just go up to the dorm and lie down for awhile." Kate rose and picked up her bag, hoisting it over her shoulder.

Lily looked up at her friend, her expression concerned. "I'll walk up with you."

Kate shook her head again. "No, really. I'm ok. I just want to lie down. Go find Dorcas or someone. Really. I just want to have a lie down before dinner."

Reluctantly, Lily nodded. "But I _will _see you at dinner, right?"

Kate nodded in return. "Probably. Don't worry about me, Lils; I'm ok."

"Yeah, _'ok'_," Lily muttered as she watched Kate leave the room. "People who cry all by themselves in libraries are _always_ 'fine'." She gazed off into space for a few moments, then leapt from her chair and walked quickly to the exit.

XXXXXXXX

Ofelia Bullstrode pulled her fur-lined cloak more tightly around her and took a seat in the corner of the courtyard, on a bench against the castle that afforded some shelter from the wind. The young witch took a deep breath, inhaling the sharp scent of pine from the trees that littered this section of the grounds. Even though it was cold, Ofelia was grateful for the fresh air – and for the time away from the cloying presence of her brother, the Black sisters and Narcissa's intended, Lucius Malfoy. Since arriving in Scotland two days prior, it seemed that they were always engaging her in conversation or simply hovering somewhere nearby. Arturo was the worst of them all, constantly asking about her whereabouts and her sincerity in fulfilling this _arrangement_ with the Blacks. She thought of Sirius. He was handsome, no doubt, and Arturo's sources indicated that his magic was, even at this age, extremely strong. There was no doubt that Sirius Black was powerful; when he completed his education at Hogwarts, there would be few who could touch him. She shook her head slightly. He had turned his back on the Dark, however, and – to all intents and purposes – his family, as well. After spending time in their company, Ofelia could appreciate the decision. Walburga displayed a cruelty toward her elder son that was chilling. And if it was displayed that blatantly before outsiders, one could only imagine how it manifested itself once the guests had taken their leave. The young witch shuddered and burrowed deeper into the warmth of her cloak. Arturo had also informed her that Sirius was somewhat promiscuous in his dalliances with the opposite sex and had, indeed, already bedded several witches. One young woman was said to have been so impressed by his prowess that she was literally heartbroken when he broke things off with her after only six weeks together. Ofelia smiled when she recalled her father's reaction to that particular piece of Arturo's research. He had been incensed and had immediately come up with a list of rules to present to the Blacks if such a marriage was to come to pass. Sirius was to give up his "harem", as his father had called it, and focus exclusively on his daughter – or the arrangement would end before it began. It was a sentiment with which Ofelia heartily agreed. Infidelity intimated that she could not sufficiently hold the attention of her wizard. This was clearly not the case. Sirius Black might find that part of the contract difficult to adhere to – at first. Ofelia smirked to herself. She had not yet encountered a wizard who had not chosen _her _over any of the other witches with whom he might have been dallying. She might not be thrilled with the entire arrangement, but if it did come to pass, it would be on terms that best suited _her_.

Ofelia knew that this year of '_getting to know one another'_ was seen by both families as a mere formality. Parents on both sides desired the marriage and, barring something totally unforeseen, it would surely happen. The marriage would unite their two families and give both wealth and power that would dominate their class. She sniffed disdainfully. Both families were already at the highest level of Wizarding society and their wealth was unsurpassed. It was no secret that both the Bullstrodes and the Blacks strongly embraced the Dark and sought complete power and dominion over those who were not Pure. Ofelia did not particularly care one way or another. She _did_ care very much that it appeared that supporters of both Dark and Light were prepared to fight to uphold their respective beliefs. If one were to believe the rumors circulating in Pureblood circles these days, there was a powerful Dark wizard who was working to recruit followers who believed in the old ways – and in Pureblood supremacy. Ofelia had been most concerned since the rumor first reached her ears. People lost everything in War – fortunes, loved ones, position; all had historically fallen victim to prolonged battle. She did not understand why those who already possessed great wealth and social status could not simply content themselves with it and let everyone else alone. It would be so much easier and eliminate the risk that everyone could end up on the losing side of things.

A movement across the courtyard caught Ofelia's attention and she raised her eyebrows when Sirius came into view, accompanied by a quite attractive young witch. She wondered if this was "the traitor's daughter" about whom Sirius' father had spoken. Ofelia found herself wanting to confirm the identity of this young woman and shrank back into the corner of the bench in an effort to avoid detection.

"See? I told you there was a marble fountain out here," Sirius was saying to the girl.

"Sirius, did you _really _bring me out here to look at the sites?" the witch asked, slyly.

Sirius smirked. "What do you think?"

The girl took the scarf that hung from the boy's neck and used it to pull him closer to her and met his lips with her own. They kissed passionately for several moments until the need for oxygen overcame them.

"Did that answer your question, Mr. Black?" the witch asked.

Sirius nodded. "I believe it did, Ms. Hornsby, but perhaps you should say it again – just to make sure."

As Sirius tilted his head and lowered his face to Delilah's, he caught sight of Ofelia on the opposite side of the courtyard. _Perfect! Two birds – one snog!_ As he closed his eyes to focus on the task at hand, Sirius ignored the little voice in the back of his head reminding him that this situation was _far _from perfect – there was only one 'bird' he wanted to be with, and she wasn't one of those present.

Ofelia cursed her own curiosity as she hurried away from the courtyard and down the side corridor to the school entrance. She was certain Sirius had seen her as he'd kissed the tart he'd brought there. _So, the Black heir enjoyed secret trysts in out-of-the-way locations, did he?_ Ofelia smiled as she reached the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. _Food for thought._

"Lacewing flies," she murmured to the portrait and it swung inward.

"There you are," Arturo smiled thinly, taking his sister by the elbow and leading her to a corner of the Common Room. "I've been looking everywhere for you; where were you?"

Ofelia pulled her arm gently from her brother's grasp. "I needed some fresh air; these dungeons give me claustrophobia. Why were you looking for me?"

Arturo searched her face as if to confirm that she was telling the truth. Finding whatever it was he sought, he replied – with a snide smile, "Apparently, Black is up to his old, randy ways. He was seen in the corridor, leading a very voluptuous witch to places unknown – as of right now, anyway. I'll know the particulars by tonight, I can assure you – and when I do, we can Owl Father and this ridiculous arrangement with the Blacks can be rescinded!"

Ofelia looked at her brother curiously. "First of all, I can tell you 'the particulars' right now, if you'd like. Before I do, however, I'd like to know why you're so anxious to nullify the agreement with the Blacks. Really, Arturo, don't you want to see me with one of the wealthiest, most eligible Pureblood wizards in Society?"

Arturo smiled at a fourth year who passed close by, then drew Ofelia further into the shadows. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that you _want_ this arrangement to go through!"

Ofelia shrugged. "I would have preferred to remain in France with my friends, but that was not possible. I have always been able to convince Father to give me what I want; this was the first time I was unsuccessful. I'm a practical witch, Arturo. It is clear that I have no choice. If Father is determined that I should do this, then Black is rich and he is handsome enough; I could do worse." She considered her brother for a moment. "Why do you dislike him so?"

"He is not like us," Arturo hissed. "He is a rebel and he does not believe in the proper order of things. He befriends Mudbloods and Muggles. Lucius, Bella and Narcissa are very closed-lipped about things, but I think that all is not well in that household."

Ofelia nodded. "Yes, his mother is quite cold to him, but that is not uncommon behavior for people of that status – and you know it. You've seen it in the homes of some of our friends. We're lucky we don't see it in our own home. Surely, that is not all."

Arturo sighed. "Listen, Pureblood families are largely inbred; they have to be to keep the strain pure. As the older families have died out _or _married 'beneath them', as is said, the number of available choices was thinned considerably. The Blacks are anxious for you to marry into their family because it strengthens the line. We are not closely related to them. If you ask me, the madness that comes from such inbreeding is too firmly rooted for anyone else's blood to do much good. The mother is rumored to be completely mad, and if you watch Bellatrix long enough, you can see that she's as mad as Walburga. The fact that the heir to the family fortune is a rebel should tell you that things aren't very stable at Grimmauld Place. I would just like to avoid our family getting mixed up with them."

Ofelia nodded. "Perhaps it won't come to that. Perhaps Sirius will be their undoing. But you need to let things happen according to _my _wishes. Are we agreed?"

"You said you could tell me where he went," Arturo reminded her, his voice and posture excited. "Is it enough to stop this nonsense now?"

"And I _will_ tell you once I have your word that you will not take it to Father – at least not yet." Ofelia raised an eyebrow and gazed unflinchingly into his eyes.

Arturo finally blinked. "Fine," he gritted out.

Ofelia shook her head. "Your word, Arturo. Your bond."

"My word; my bond," he snapped.

"He went to the west courtyard of the castle. Let us just say that he appears to be a very talented kisser," the young witch smiled at her brother.

"And you weren't disgusted by this?" Arturo demanded. "He is going against what he promised when the agreement was forged!"

"Why should I be disgusted? I have no doubt that I can inspire his fidelity, Arturo," Ofelia shrugged delicately. "And it may be very enjoyable, indeed, to do so."

Arturo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he looked at his sister. "Why do I have the feeling there is more to this than meets the eye?"

Ofelia smiled mysteriously. "I was, after all, sorted into Slytherin, was I not? Perhaps this has something to do with your 'feeling'." At Arturo's huff of indignation, Ofelia laid her hand on his arm. "Listen, if you were to ask me what I wanted most of all in my life, I would tell you that it was to return to Beauxbatons and my friends there. I am willing to accept Father's decision to enter into marriage with Black if I absolutely must. I plan, however, to use any avenue I might have available to me to avoid it and return to France. I trust you to keep this between us, Arturo. If it gets out, it will shame our family and cause problems for Father; I don't want that to happen. It would be my hope that Black will trip himself up without my help, but it will take more than one courtyard indiscretion for Father to break the arrangement, despite what he said to the Blacks over the holidays. If it appears that I must go through with this agreement, in the end, I want time to make sure that I will have enough information at my disposal to compel Sirius' fidelity while giving me certain … liberties, shall we say?"

Arturo's eyes widened in understanding. "You have someone in France, don't you?"

Ofelia smiled. "Don't be naïve, Arturo. I have made several … _connections_, shall we say? A smart witch never puts all of her brooms in one cupboard." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed her brother's cheek. "And rest assured, I am a very, _very _smart witch…"

Arturo was left standing with his jaw agape as he watched his younger sister weave through the students on her way to the dormitory stairs. As if feeling his eyes on her, Ofelia turned and dropped him a wink before skipping lightly to her dorm room.

XXXXXXXX

"Potter, wait!"

James turned, smiling at the sound of Lily's voice behind him then winced when he saw her face. She was bearing down on him, hair flying behind her, her eyes bright and her cheeks pink. Lily Evans at this level of full-tilt anger was a sight to behold – and an event to avoid if at all possible. Regrettably, he had already made retreat impossible.

James stopped and waited for her to reach him. It didn't take long.

"What _is_ Black doing?" she huffed, grabbing his arm and pulling him to one side of the staircase.

"Ow, Lily, for the love of _Merlin_, not so tight!" James hissed as her nails dug into his arm.

She released his arm, but stayed where she was. "Well?"

James shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Lily, really, I don't. Asking me what he's doing is a bit vague, don't you think?"

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "I just left the library. I was looking for Kate and found her there, in tears."

James fought to keep his irritation with Sirius off his face. "She said Sirius was to blame?"

Lily looked away from him for a moment. "She said she didn't want to talk about it." Looking back at the wizard, she narrowed her eyes again. "You know something about this, don't you?"

"Lily…"

"James, she's my best friend and she's horribly upset. I know Black has something to do with it and, since he doesn't do anything without talking with you first, I'm betting you know what's going on with him," the red-haired witch lowered her voice and spoke in a much less aggressive tone.

James sighed. "Look, Lily, you think Sirius tells me everything, but he _doesn't_. There are things about his family that he never talks about – not to _me_, anyway. And you're right – he tells me most things, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I have no idea what he's up to now. Maybe if Kate tells you more, I can help you but right now, Lily, there's nothing I can do."

"Fine," Lily's voice was resigned. "If she tells me anything else and agrees that I can share it, I'll speak with you again."

"I'm sorry, Lils," James said quietly.

XXXXXXXX

The door to the boys' dormitory opened quietly and Sirius peered around the room before fully entering and closing it behind him again. He had hoped to shower and change before dinner without seeing the rest of the Marauders. His luck didn't quite hold out.

Sirius had just opened the lid of his trunk for a fresh set of robes when the door opened and Remus entered. He straightened, fresh clothing in hand and turned for the bathroom to find the young werewolf standing with his arms crossed over his chest. Looking Sirius up and down, he pointed to a spot below Sirius' ear. His face reflected his anger and disappointment in his friend.

"You may want to consider getting rid of _that _before you come down to dinner," he remarked. "I know all about your _plan_, Sirius, but I don't think you have to rub the girl's nose in it. Speaking of which, I certainly hope you're going to shower. You reek of perfume, and it doesn't smell like Kate's scent."

"Sod off, Moony," Sirius snapped, stung by his friend's criticism. "When did you become Kate's appointed protector?" He never saw Remus move; he was that swift as he reached out for Sirius' arm and turned him around to fully face him.

"I'm _not _her 'protector', Sirius. I'm her friend; I care about her. I thought you did, too. But I can see now that I'm wrong. You're using her to play a role in a drama you designed to help you avoid an arranged marriage. I hate that you are being manipulated by your parents – just as you hate them for doing it; but never thought that you would turn around and do the same thing to Kate. I told you how I felt when you first explained this scheme of yours and my opinion hasn't changed. Take her aside and tell her the truth, Sirius. Trust her; trust that she will play the role you need her to play," Remus implored the other boy.

Sirius looked up at his friend sadly. "I can't, Remus. I just _can't _take the risk."

Remus sighed, but he released Sirius' arm. "What you mean to say is that you _won't_, Sirius. You won't risk a situation you don't want to be honest with a young woman you claim that you _do_ want. How completely _Slytherin_ of you."

Sirius' jaw dropped at his best friend's words. When he recovered, he pushed past the werewolf and kicked open the bathroom door. "I'll try to stay out of your way, then, seeing that I disgust you so." He threw his clothing onto a bench by the wall and as he turned to close the door, Sirius paused. "You know something, Remus, I don't _have _a family that puts me first – hells, I don't even think I come in ahead of the _servants_. I certainly don't have the kind of support that you and James have. Even Wormtail's mother looks out for him. But you guys are all I have, ok? Well, you guys and my cousin Andie and Uncle Alphard. Other than that, I have to look out for myself. Most of the time, I can do it without pissing off my friends; this isn't one of those times. You don't know everything about why; I'm fuckin' sick of thinking about it, let alone talking about it. I'm doing the best I know how to do, ok? You don't think I'm right; ok, fine. But never, ever call me a Slytherin, Remus; never. Because of all the things I might be, I'm not that; I'll _never_ be that." And he closed the door quietly.

A few moments later, Remus heard him turn on the shower. Thinking back to the words they had exchanged and feeling worse than he had in a long time, Remus lowered himself to sit on Sirius' trunk. Folding his hands in his lap, he fixed his gaze on the door and waited for his friend to emerge.


	19. Plans Gone Awry

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 19 - Plans Gone Awry

Kate awakened and glanced at the clock beside her bed, dismayed to find that dinner had been underway for fifteen minutes. Headache now gone, Kate found that she was hungry and decided to freshen up and join Lily in the Great Hall. At least she wouldn't have to worry about sitting with Sirius; there was no way that Lily would go anywhere near the wizard now. _I really need to keep my distance until I can figure out what's going on with him._

Five minutes later, Kate was following a group of witches down the hallway toward the entrance to the Hall. Their pace was not overly hurried and none of the girls was bothering to keep her voice down; as such, Kate could clearly overhear pieces of their conversation as they spoke over one another.

"… better use a _glamour _to hide it before one of the teachers sees…"

"… wondered where you'd gotten to…"

"… he brought you there himself? _Merlin_, Delilah … he's _gorgeous!_"

"Snogging Sirius _Black_ in the west courtyard … how _romantic_…"

"Was he as good as they say he is? Are you going to see him again?"

"…wonder what that girlfriend of his will think – that Kathy, Karen – oh – you know, the one that transferred here from America …"

"Now, _girls_," Delilah said loudly enough to be heard over the chatter of her friends. "This needs to stay between us, alright? We don't want the whole school knowing our business, after all." She lowered her voice a bit once she had their full attention. "You know I'm not one to kiss and tell, but I _will_ say that _all_ the rumors you hear about Sirius'… _skills_ are indeed _true_…"

Her statement was cut off by the sound of high-pitched squeals and giggles. Kate stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the retreating backs of the girls as Delilah's last comment reached her ears, "I don't think that little Gryffindor witch is in the picture any longer. Sirius has definitely moved on from that _particular_ little _fling_."

_Delilah Hornsby_. Kate thought back miserably to her first Hogsmeade weekend and the buxom young witch with whom Sirius had flirted at Madam Rosmerta's pub. Apparently, Sirius wasn't quite truthful with her when he said he wasn't dating the girl. _But didn't Peter say that Ofelia Bullstrode was alone in the west courtyard earlier today? Wasn't _that _the girl that Sirius left the Common Room to meet? How many witches _is_ he _involved_ with?_

Her appetite long gone, Kate turned around and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower, willing her tears to stay back until she had reached the safe confines of her dormitory. She could think it all through then – and give free vent to her emotions. With that goal in mind, Kate hurried along the corridor, her footsteps echoing along the ancient stone floors.

XXXXXXXX

Remus had fairly given up on Sirius _ever _exiting the bathroom when a soft _click_ heralded his return to the dorm. Having dried his hair, shaved and dressed in clean robes, Sirius looked marginally better than he had when he'd left. As Remus looked closer, however, he thought he detected a slight red puffiness around Sirius' eyes. He decided not to mention it; Sirius was defensive enough without Remus adding to it.

The wizard in question came to an abrupt halt as he noticed the figure sitting on his trunk.

Sirius gestured toward the lid. "I forgot my socks." Nodding, Remus rose and relocated to the edge of Sirius' bed, watching as the Animagus retrieved said socks from the depths of his trunk, then took Remus' place on the lid as he pulled them on and shoved his feet into his boots. As he bent to tie them, Sirius muttered, "I thought you'd have high-tailed it downstairs to dinner by now."

Remus cleared his throat before answering. "Well, since I don't actually _have _a tail at the moment – 'high' or otherwise – I figured I'd wait for you."

Sirius snorted but made no further comment.

"Sirius, I stayed behind because I wanted to apologize for calling you a Slytherin; I know that remark hurt you and I'd never want to do that. I'm sorry," Remus continued, watching his friend carefully. Sirius had finished tying his boots and was just sitting hunched over on the edge of his trunk, hands clasped between his knees, gaze fixed on the floor. "I just wanted you to reconsider this plan of yours."

"We never fight and now, since Christmas, it's been twice," Sirius said, not lifting his head, but turning to look at Remus. "I hate it."

The werewolf nodded. "So do I. But I would rather risk your anger and speak up if I think you're going to hurt yourself or others. If I remain silent and turn the other way, I'm not a very good friend to you."

"You've always been a good friend to me, Moony; the best. That's why I hate it when we're at odds. I meant it when I said that you and Jamie and Peter are all that I have. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me. We've been through too much for that," Remus stood up from the bed and sat on the trunk behind the other wizard, placing his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Listen, Padfoot if I'm such a good friend to you, tell me why I would ever suggest that you do something that would hurt you."

Sirius sighed and turned to face his friend. "She's already upset because of me, Remus; _really _upset. She thought I was going to meet up with Ofelia Bullstrode in the west courtyard today. I sort of worked it out with Peter that he'd come and tell me when she was alone and Kate happened to be there. She ran out of the Common Room like the hound of hell were at her heels."

Remus' brow knit together in confusion. "But I thought you didn't _want _to be with Ofelia Bullstrode. I thought all of this nonsense was supposed to guarantee that you wouldn't HAVE to be with her. Why on earth would you convince Peter to do something like that?"

"I _have _to at least make an attempt to talk to her, Remus. And, I want her to see me with other girls so she'll go back to her father and tell him I haven't changed. See, Bullstrode told my father that if I didn't change my ways, the arrangement was off," Sirius explained, jumping up and pacing the room as he went on.

"I _know _that part, Padfoot. And did you see Ofelia earlier this afternoon?"

"No, well…_yes_, actually, but I met up with Delilah Hornsby and I brought her to the courtyard with me and … well, we got up to a bit of snog…"

Remus interrupted with a wave of his hands. "I get the picture, Sirius, you needn't give me the details. Why in the world would you drag another girl along with you to meet … _Wait_ – is this the _same_ Delilah from Hogsmeade?" His eyes widened.

Sirius had the good grace to blush. "_Yes_, Remus; it's _the same girl_. Weren't you paying attention earlier? I need Ofelia to see me with other girls. I ran into Delilah Hornsby on my way to the courtyard, she asked me what I was doing; one thing led to another and I offered to show her the marble fountain in the courtyard. She agreed and when we got there, we … well … _you_ _know_ … and I know Ofelia saw us."

Remus sighed and shook his head. " _Sirius_. And?"

"And she left," Sirius finished.

"And then?"

Sirius looked away from his friend. "Well, I don't really know _when_ she left; I was a bit occupied at the time. _Merlin_, Hornsby has more hands than the Giant Squid, I'm telling you, Remus…"

"Sirius, _stop_!" Remus cried. "Aside from the fact that I think your behavior is atrocious, I do not need that image to pop into my head every time I pass that witch in the corridors!"

Sirius sat down with a huff. "I already know you think I'm a slag, Moony; that's what got us into this conversation in the first place."

Remus sighed and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "_Merlin's balls, _Sirius, I do _not _think you're a _slag_. I _do_, however, think that you're taking what is really a very unfair reputation and making it true with this _fuckingly horrid_ plan of yours!"

Sirius' eyes grew very wide. Remus hardly ever cursed; he usually managed to get his point across fine without the use of profanity. "Blimey, Remus! You really _are_ undone about all this."

The werewolf took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking again. "Sirius, listen to me. _Really listen _this time_. _Can't you please consider telling Kate the truth before this whole thing blows up in your face? It's bound to, you know; Hogwarts is too small and everyone loves gossip. Even if you _don't_ behave completely outrageously, your reputation as being … _promiscuous_, let's call it … will become inflated with half-truths. Kate will hear – and she's bound to be hurt badly. Sirius, you stand more of a chance of losing her because of this plan that you think is so brilliant than you would if you simply sat her down and told her the truth." Remus reached over and draped his arm around Sirius' shoulders. "If you want to, I'll help you come up with an alternative plan; whatever you want. If Kate's important enough to you that you'll go to these lengths – idiotic though they may be – then why risk losing her altogether when all you need to do is trust her?"

Sirius looked at his best friend and, for the first time, Remus saw fear in the depths of those blue eyes. "What if it doesn't work, Moony?" came the whispered question. "What if she doesn't …"?

"Padfoot, there's no future in borrowing trouble. Don't assume failure. I know it's not easy for you to trust people; but you trusted James and Peter and me, didn't you?" At the other wizard's nod, Remus smiled. "And that hasn't worked out too badly, has it?"

Sirius finally returned the smile and shook his head. "Ok, Moony, I'll try it your way, but …"

Remus squeezed Sirius' shoulder. "It will be alright, Padfoot."

"Thanks, Remus." Sirius rose. "Fancy dinner?"

"Yes, and afterward, we'll discuss the revision of this plan of yours; agreed?"

Sirius swallowed audibly. "Agreed."

XXXXXXXX

Kate finally reached her dorm room for the second time that day. This time, however, she gathered her nightclothes and headed into the bathroom to shower. There, she finally let herself think about the conversation she had overheard, coupled with the day's earlier encounter with Sirius in the Common Room. Standing under the strong spray of hot water, Kate began to cry. As she did so, her mind filled with images of time she'd spent with Sirius – both before the holiday and since their return to school: her first glimpse of him on the Hogwarts Express, their introduction, all the teasing, misunderstandings and, finally, the beginnings of a relationship that had felt … right. Holding hands under the table in the library and on the couch in the Common Room. The snowball fight on the grounds when she'd brained Snape with a snowball in his defense. Kate's eyes snapped open. _In his defense_. She thought of her mother and all Felicity had said about Sirius that had moved her to defend him. Kate recalled the heat of her own anger and how her passionate belief and trust in the young wizard had moved her to defy her own mother. _She had defended him when Felicity had said he would hurt her!_ As Kate replayed those memories, her tears stopped and the sadness and confusion that she'd carried with her since their return began to make room for her anger. Kate poured out shampoo and began to wash her hair, scrubbing her scalp vigorously. _Why did I let myself be taken in? It's not as if there was no evidence to suggest this would happen._ Kate rinsed the lather from her hair, closing her eyes to protect them. As she did so, the image of Sirius and Delilah Hornsby flashed before her eyes, followed by the memory of her cutting remark as she and her friends had gone into the Great Hall,

"_I don't think that little Gryffindor witch is in the picture any longer. Sirius has definitely moved on from that_ particular _little_ fling."

Kate stopped. _Was that _really_ all I was to you, Sirius? All I ever would have been? A _fling_? _She felt her heart clench as she realized that this was probably closer to the truth than she'd wanted to admit. _And now you're on to the next transfer student, someone who hasn't heard of – or experienced first hand – your reputation with the witches. _Kate's thoughts returned to Delilah and she smiled grimly. _As long as you can supplement the transfer students with the more adventurous witches in the Hogwarts' student population, you should do quite well for yourself, Mr. Black_, Kate thought as she turned off the water and stepped from the shower. _But I will not be counted in that number any longer. _The fresh stab of pain that she experienced from that thought made Kate realize that despite her current anger – and all of her best intentions – this would hurt for a very long time. _Not that you really care about my feelings. _Kate stopped. _I was so certain that he did; so sure that Sirius meant everything he said to me. _She flushed with embarrassment at this thought, her ego more than a little dented. _I won't make that mistake in future. I don't suffer liars gladly, and you, Sirius Black, are the worst sort of liar; you manipulate and use people to your own devices. Well, no more!_

With two waves of her wand, her body and hair were dry. Slipping into her undergarments and throwing on her robe, Kate picked up her nightclothes and stalked back into the dormitory. Tossing the pajamas on her bed, Kate put on a set of clean robes, checked herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. _You were never going to hurt me, were you? You'll never get the chance to do it again. The 'little fling' is beyond your reach – starting _right now! And with that thought, Kate turned away from the mirror and quit the dormitory, beginning the trek to the Great Hall for the second time that afternoon. This time, she would not be distracted.

XXXXXXXX

Remus and Sirius entered the Great Hall and walked toward their usual spot at the Gryffindor table. Sirius slowed his steps a bit at the sight of James' very uncustomary glare as he looked at him over Lily's red head. Bolstered by Remus' hand under his elbow, however, Sirius picked up the pace and soon dropped down onto the bench beside the messy-haired wizard. He was to regret not listening to his instincts and bolting before Lily saw him.

"Sirius _Black_," she spoke sharply, voice slightly louder than her normal pitch. Fortunately, only those in their immediate vicinity could easily overhear her. "Fancy seeing you _without_ your harem."

"Lily," with his eyes fixed on his dinner plate, James murmured a warning, his tone unlike any he'd previously used. It had the intended effect on her as she abandoned Sirius and turned toward James.

"Did you want to say something, James?"

This time, the wizard looked her dead in the eye before speaking. "Not particularly, Lily; and neither do you"

Lily's green eyes widened in shock. "Well," she huffed. "I don't know what you think you mean…"

"Lily," James interrupted. "I _mean_ that you are a fair-minded witch who would never use stupid gossip to insult another person. I'm sure that you've had your share of people who've insulted you unfairly, which is how I know you'd never do the same. Now, if I'm wrong and you've actually seen Sirius, here, with an honest-to-Merlin _harem_, then I'll stand down and leave you to it. Otherwise, let's just leave it go, shall we?"

In the shocked silence that followed, none of the five friends registered the feminine throat clearing going on behind them. Sirius winced, however, when he pulled himself out of his stupor, looked around and saw Delilah standing behind him, batting her eyes and smiling smugly.

"Why, Sirius, I thought you weren't _ever _coming down to dinner. Why don't you excuse yourself and come eat with _me_?"

"_Excuse_ me?" Sirius had had just about enough of being ordered around by witches. "I'm having dinner with my friends here."

Delilah rolled her eyes. "'_Friends'_?" she glanced round the table, letting her gaze come to rest on Lily. "I distinctly heard you insulted; what kind of _friends_ do _that_?"

"Lily," James whispered, dropping her a wink and smiling when she looked over at him. "I think that's a good example of _you_ being unfairly insulted. Good time to address it, don't you think?"

She stared at James stupidly for a moment then the penny dropped. Lily managed to swallow a small smile as she turned her attention to the hapless witch standing behind a widely grinning werewolf. "Delilah, isn't it?" Lily fairly purred.

"Wait for it," James muttered to Sirius who had stupidly taken a breath to answer Lily's question. He exhaled sharply instead.

"Yes, that's my name," the other witch said in a condescending tone.

"I thought so. I've heard a good deal about you, you see and I _know _that you have a _great_ many _friends_ – of _both_ _sexes_. And though I daresay you _think_ you know quite a bit about how friends treat each other, I'd venture a guess that you actually know next to _nothing_," Lily replied, her voice dripping with sweetness. She took advantage of the other witch's shock to go in for the kill. "That would explain why you seem completely oblivious to the fact that _your _friends – while quite nice to your _face_ – have made it possible for _me_ to learn about your exploits in the various pubs during Hogsmeade weekends. So, you see – _Delilah_ – _true _friends say what needs to be said _directly_ to those affected. _False_ friends share your secrets with _everyone_. Food for thought, wouldn't you say?"

Delilah's face turned roughly the same shade as the Marauders' as they strove to contain the laughter that was threatening to explode from them. Her mouth opened and closed several times but no sound came forth. Finally, taking a deep breath, she turned to Sirius who had just about managed to bring himself under control.

"Sirius! Are you just going to sit there and let this – this _witch_ insult me? Haven't you anything to say?" she fumed.

Sirius turned his head until he could see the irate witch's face. "Stay out of the pubs in Hogsmeade?"

For the remaining Marauders, this proved to be their undoing. Their laughter did, indeed, explode from them in such force and volume that the Hall fairly rang with it. As the furious witch sped away from the Gryffindor table – and under cover of the bedlam going on around them, Sirius leaned across the table and tapped Lily's hand to get her attention.

"Thank you, Lily," he said sincerely. "That was _beyond _brilliant!"

Lily's smile slipped from her face as she looked at him. "I'm going to say this to your face, Sirius," she began. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but I know that Kate's feeling very badly right now and I'm more than positive it has to do with something _you've_ done. She's my best friend and I don't like seeing her this way. Fix it."

"I'm going to try, Lily," Sirius assured her. "And to make sure I don't bollocks it up, Remus is going to help me."

Remus glanced over at the sound of his name and Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't know how he ropes you into helping him with his schemes, Remus – and I'm _sure _I'll _never know_ what Kate sees in _you_, Black, but you'd better have hurt her for the last time!"

"This might be your chance, mate," Peter caught Sirius' eye and gestured toward the entrance to the Great Hall. Sure enough, Kate was entering with Dorcas. Dorcas started toward their group of friends, but Kate caught her arm and, with a word, they joined Alice Peasegood and her beau, Frank Longbottom at the opposite end of the table. "Or not," the plump boy added, returning his attention to his shepherd's pie.

Sirius half-rose from his seat, but Remus pushed him back down. "Do you really want an audience for this, Padfoot?"

Sirius shook his head and watched as Lily patted James' hand then rose from her seat and made her way over to her friend.

"Audience for _what_?" James demanded, pushing his plate away from him and turning to look at Sirius.

"I'm abandoning my original plan to piss Kate off," Sirius said, eyes firmly fixed on their topic of conversation.

James glanced over where Kate was sitting with Lily and the others. "I hate to say, 'I told you so', _but_…,"

"Stuff it, James," Sirius growled. "Come on, Remus, we've got work to do."

"Gentlemen," Remus intoned as he followed his irritated friend away from the table.

Sirius didn't pause as he passed Kate on his way out the door, so intent was he on making his escape. Remus, however, caught Kate's eye as they passed and was surprised at the coldness of her expression. He smiled at her and was relieved when she smiled in turn, her usual warmth returning to her face. "Later," he mouthed.

Kate shrugged in response. "Maybe," she mouthed back, her gaze briefly flitting toward the door. In the next moment, she had resumed her conversation with Alice and Remus had to hurry to catch up with Sirius who was well across the entrance hall by the time Remus turned back to him.

XXXXXXXX

"Looks like Black's having a bad time of it," Arturo smirked as he watched the drama unfold at the Gryffindor table.

Ofelia nodded and sighed softly. "So much conflict in his life, that one – so much anger."

"Don't tell me you actually feel _sorry _for him?" her brother expressed his astonishment.

"Perhaps a bit. I am, after all, in the same predicament as he. My life isn't my own, either, is it?" Ofelia said quietly.

"Whose is?" her brother replied, pushing himself up from his seat. "Are you coming downstairs?"

Ofelia shook her head. "Not quite yet. I'll be along in a while. I'm going to have another cup of tea, first."

With a brief nod, Arturo grabbed Lucius' arm and the two wended their way through the Hall to the exit.

"May I join you?" a soft, elegant baritone voice called Ofelia's attention back to the table and she looked up to see Severus Snape standing there, awaiting her response.

"Of course," she said as she slid along the bench to make room for the tall, lanky student.

"Thank you. You are Arturo's sister, Ofelia, are you not?" he asked, pouring fresh tea in her cup and holding the silver tea tray at her elbow so that she could add what she liked to the brew.

"I am," she picked up a lemon wedge with the engraved tongs and dropped it into her cup. "And you are Severus Snape, Potions expert extraordinaire."

Severus bristled, certain she was having him on. Ofelia recognized it and immediately placed her hand on the wizard's arm, dismayed to feel it tense at her touch. "You think I'm teasing you, but I'm not," she reassured him. "Arturo – and his friend, Lucius Malfoy – tell me that you are quite brilliant at Potions."

Two bright spots of color appeared in Severus' cheeks; he was unused to praise of any kind. "And do you enjoy Potions?" he asked, immediately berating himself inwardly; he was also unused to dealing with attractive young witches – well, other than Lily, of course. They had become friends long ago.

Ofelia was speaking again. "I do. I'm afraid I do not have your prowess, but I scored well at my former school. Perhaps if things become too challenging, I could impose upon you for some assistance? A bit of tutoring, perhaps?"

Severus nodded. "Of course. I would be willing to assist if you required it."

Ofelia smiled. "You have a mesmerizing voice, Severus Snape. Are you equally adept at spell-casting?"

Severus came as close to a full facial blush as he had in his life. "Much of it is foolish wand waving," he replied. "But I have some proficiency; I have trained in dueling."

"Dueling; a romantic and noble pursuit. I should very much like to observe you in full form."

"Well, we don't have a regular dueling club here at Hogwarts, more's the pity," Severus drawled, now most self-conscious about speaking in front of Ofelia. He cast a sidelong glance at her and could not risk adding, "But I should be more than happy to call someone out on your behalf; Sirius Black, perhaps? I'm sure he would enjoy a go at me."

"As you would him, I imagine," Ofelia laughed quietly. "You are aware of our mutual families' arrangement for us, I presume?"

Severus nodded. "Regrettably."

"Why, Severus! You say that with such profound disappointment; why would that be?" Ofelia was truly amused as she observed the dark wizard to her left.

Severus placed his cup on the table with slightly more force than he intended. _Black!_ "He and his little friends are _swine_! They parade through the castle as if they owned it and those they deem beneath them suffer mightily at their hands. They are so accustomed to detentions that the practice serves little value in deterring their high jinks. I think you could do far better than that unruly wizard!"

Ofelia listened to the agitated commentary quietly. She had heard from others that this troupe of boys pulled a wide variety of pranks, but had thought them harmless. This young man seemed to contradict those rumors. Ofelia knew from Arturo that Snape had few friends and that, like Sirius, his home life was far from healthy. No one, however, seemed to have any details of that life. She felt sorry for Severus, but knew that to let him know that would be disastrous. Ofelia rose and was amused to see Severus hurry to his feet and step away from the bench to allow her to exit. As she passed, Ofelia stood on her tiptoes and placed a small peck on Severus' cheek. "Thank you for your kind offer of Potions' tutoring – _and _for your very kind words regarding my value. You do not know how much they mean to me."

Severus sat back on the bench and remained in the Hall for quite some time after Ofelia – and most of the other students had taken their leave. He did not know quite what to make of their encounter – or of _her_ – but he did know one thing: he regretted very much Black's abrupt departure _before_ Ofelia had kissed him. After several more moments' consideration and with a mysterious smile on his face, Severus Snape made his way to the entrance hall – and the security of the Slytherin dungeon.


	20. Plans Abandoned

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 20 – Plans Abandoned

"Just write down how you feel, Padfoot. A few notes to gather your thoughts," Remus said as Sirius thumped his head against the Common Room coffee table in sheer frustration. When there was no response, the werewolf slid a clean piece of parchment under the other boy's head. Still nothing. "Look, Sirius; I'll let you use one of my ink pens." Sirius lifted his head to see the aforementioned writing instrument being waggled in front of him. He reached for it and sat up, resting his back against the sofa on which his friend was perched.

"Remus, I don't know about this – really. It's like preparing to give a speech," he sighed, tapping the plastic tube against the parchment until Remus reached over and stilled his hand.

"You're _not _giving a speech, but you said – and I agree – that this is too important for you to simply talk off the top of your head. You need to prepare. You've been having a difficult time doing that, so I think this will at least help you get focused on the main points," Remus' voice was patient – remarkably so since the two friends had been hard at it for almost an hour with very little to show for their efforts.

Sirius removed the bright blue cap with his teeth and held it there as he put the tip of the pen to the parchment. Remus looked hopefully over the dark-haired wizard's shoulder, waiting for the words to begin to flow. There. Finally. He was writing … no, he was _doodling_. Remus sighed, then rose and dropped onto the floor opposite the now scribbling boy. "Here, give me that," he said, holding out his hand. Sirius reluctantly replaced the cap and slid both the pen and the parchment to Remus.

Remus grimaced and wiped the cap and pen against his robes to dry them then placed the pen against the parchment and looked over at Sirius. "Talk; anything that comes into your head about this whole mess and what you'd like to say to Kate. _I'll_ write it down. We'll edit it later and then you can have it to look over sort out in your mind, yes?"

Sirius nodded, relieved. "Thanks, Moony. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm normally a pretty good planner; I can plan pranks, right? Why can't I do this?"

"Why can't you do what?" James sat on the floor next to Sirius and Peter threw himself on the sofa. "What did we miss?"

"Moony here is helping me organize my thoughts so I can say everything I need to when I talk with Kate," Sirius said.

Remus looked up. "The new plan," he said.

James nodded. "How's it going?"

"Think of all the time you spent trying to figure out the perfect line to use on Lily," Sirius replied dryly.

James sighed. "That well, eh?"

"Maybe you're trying too hard," Peter chimed in and Remus looked at him thoughtfully.

"What do you mean, Wormtail?" the werewolf asked.

Peter shrugged and looked at Sirius. "From what I can remember, _talking_ to Kate has never been your problem; _listening_ to her _was_. When you first started getting to know her, you spent a lot of time apologizing for your reaction to what you _thought _she was saying when if you'd just paid attention the first time, you'd have been alright. I'm just saying…"

"Peter, you're _brilliant_, mate!" James exclaimed, reaching behind Sirius and slapping the boy on the back. Peter beamed in response.

Remus smiled sheepishly. "You really _are_ right, you know." He looked at Sirius. "I got so caught up in your need for a plan, I never stopped to think that maybe – just maybe – that was the problem. Perhaps "the plan" is as simple as coming up with a way to get Kate alone and just … talking to her; like always."

Sirius nodded. "And based on what we just saw at dinner, that might be easier said – or planned – than actually done."

"Speaking of things seen at dinner, guess what Snivellus was up to after you two bolted?" James looked at Remus and Sirius.

"Snogging _Lucius Malfoy_?" Sirius sneered.

"Close, but no sugar quill," James replied. "He appeared to be chatting up _your_ intended, Mr. Black."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Really? Wonder what that's all about. Did she look like she was under the _Imperius _spell? Because _that _would explain everything!"

James and Peter laughed, but Remus shook his head. "Padfoot," he admonished. "You really should …"

Sirius was spared Remus' advice when the latter's attention was diverted by the sound of the portrait hole opening and the subsequent arrival of Dorcas, Alice, Lily and Kate.

"Ladies," James called, standing and waving them over. "Come and join us."

Alice shook her head and smiled. "Just picking up my books to head to the library, I'm afraid. _Some _of us have to study!"

"_Bluestocking_," James teased and with a laugh, Alice waved at them and headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. "How about the rest of you, then?"

Lily looked at Dorcas and they both shrugged and walked in the direction of the group of wizards. Kate hesitated for only a moment then turned toward the staircase. Remus muttered something to Dorcas who nodded and patted his arm with a smile.

"Kate, wait up a moment, would you?" the werewolf called and hurried to where she was standing, one foot on the steps.

"Care to join me for a walk?" Remus asked, leaning down to catch her eye. "I think we have some catching up to do after the holiday, yes?"

Kate returned his gaze steadily. "I'm not sure I'm ready for _that _'catching up'."

"Why don't you grab your warm cloak and I'll wait for you here. We can go up to the Astronomy Tower for a little while; we won't have so far to go to get warm if we need to," he replied.

Kate sighed. There was no way she was going to get out of this. "I'll be right down."

True to her word, Kate grabbed her cloak, warm gloves and some earmuffs Lily had given her for Christmas and returned to the Common Room within minutes of her departure. As she descended the final few steps, Kate's eyes swept the room and she saw that Sirius had disappeared.

"He went up to the dorm," Remus said quietly as he extended his arm to her.

Kate took his arm, ignoring the comment. "Shall we? I don't want to be gone too long; we have double Potions with Slytherin first thing tomorrow and I want to speak with Professor Slughorn before class, so I'll need to get there even earlier."

Remus nodded. "Let's go, then."

After walking along the winding corridors, exchanging small details of their time at home, the pair soon found themselves standing at the door leading to the Astronomy Tower. Moving past Remus as he held the door open for her, Kate walked over to the stone wall that bordered the tower and looked out over the grounds. From the corner of her eye, she saw Remus step up beside her and assume a stance that mirrored her own. The evening was clear and the light provided by the crescent-shaped moon painted the landscape in light and shadow. From the direction of the Dark Forest came the sound of something rustling followed by a mournful cry. _Thestrals, perhaps,_ Kate thought, remembering that Remus had told her of the spectral, winged horses that pulled the carriages of students from the train station to the castle. She wondered vaguely if they could be heard by those who had not seen death first-hand, even if they could not be seen. Kate allowed her mind to wander as she waited for Remus to break the silence. _It's down to you, my friend; you're the one who asked to talk. _Kate brushed the snow from the top of the wall and folded her hands in the cleared space, determined to wait him out. Eventually, he began.

"The sky's clear tonight," Remus commented quietly.

"I hardly think you asked me to come up here to star-gaze, Remus," Kate responded, wryly.

"You're right; I didn't." Remus turned to face her. "I wanted to ask you why you didn't come and sit with us at dinner tonight."

"I didn't ask Dorcas to stay with me, Remus. I told her that I wanted to sit with Alice and she just sat down."

Remus shook his head. "This doesn't have anything to do with Dorcas, Kate. She and I aren't joined at the hip; I'm not asking because I think you _prevented_ her from eating dinner with me, alright? _You_, however, made it a very obvious choice to avoid us."

When Kate didn't answer him, Remus tried again. "You missed a rather entertaining exchange between Lily and Delilah Hornsby. You remember Delilah, don't you? She was the witch Sirius was flirting with …"

"…in Hogsmeade our first weekend," Kate finished. "Yes, I remember her. I didn't realize Lily knew her."

"She doesn't, the way you mean; only by reputation."

"Then I can't imagine why Lily would bother with her."

"She seems to think that Delilah has upset you in some way – directly or _indirectly_ – and that Sirius might also have something to do with it, as well. At least, that was the impression I got from the confrontation," Remus managed to seem casual as he spoke.

Kate finally turned to face him. "Remus, you're my friend and I care about you – very much. Our friendship is _very_ important to me; I don't want to lose it."

Remus' brow furrowed. "Why would you think you'd lose me as your friend? I can honestly tell you that it's not possible. It – and _you _– are far too important to me for that to happen. Do you believe me?"

Kate nodded, swallowing thickly at the sincerity in the young wizard's face.

Remus covered her gloved hand with his. "Can't you tell me what's going on? You _can_ trust me, you know. I'm not the type to share anyone's secrets." He smiled tightly.

Kate shook her head, "I never thought that you were, Remus. I _do _trust you – implicitly, but I am also conscious of the position I would be putting you in if told you what's happened. It wouldn't be fair to you."

Remus squeezed her hand. "You're very kind, but I think I might actually be strong enough to withstand the pressure. I'm much more concerned with you at the moment. I would truly like to help you, if I could. I don't really think you've confided very much in Lily, given her comments over dinner. As I said earlier, she's reasonably certain it has to do with Sirius, but she obviously hasn't a great many details to back up her theory. She's an uncommonly kind and loyal friend, Kate; she marches right into battle on behalf of those she loves. Perhaps that's why you've chosen as you have. As important as those warriors are to us, sometimes we also need people who will listen to us and help us riddle out how _we_, ourselves can best take action. I won't pressure you, Kate, but please know that there's no expiration date on the offer, yes?"

As she considered her answer, Kate looked up at the night sky, easily finding Orion, his large Hunter and the Dog Star that twinkled so brightly at its head. She recalled the Astronomy class that now seemed so long ago. How foolish she had been to think that Sirius had wanted anything more from her that night than he'd wanted – and apparently _had _–with Delilah Hornsby. Kate shook her head as she felt her cheeks flush.

"Kate?" Remus called her name softly, squeezing her hand gently to get her attention.

"Sorry," Kate turned back to face Remus and he caught his breath at the chill that had settled in her eyes. "Remus, I've been foolish – very foolish, indeed. I was taken in by someone; I allowed them to convince me that they were _not _what their reputation painted them to be. I've been proven wrong. I won't allow it to happen again."

Remus exhaled slowly. He had surmised that Sirius was the reason Kate avoided them all at dinner and he _knew_ that his best friend was the "someone" of whom Kate had just spoken. What he found disturbing in the extreme was the cold finality in her voice and her normally warm brown eyes.

"I think we both know you're speaking of Sirius," he managed, watching her face closely. Her expression did not change, but she nodded once.

"Things are not always what they appear to be, you know," Remus began. "Sirius' reputation is no different today than it was when we first arrived at school in September. You discounted it then as idle gossip; what has happened for you to believe it so strongly now?"

"You're right; things are _not _always as they seem. In this case, naïveté led me to dismiss _truth_ as idle gossip. Sirius' reputation is well deserved, Remus – as I have learned," Kate told him, her voice bitter.

"Learned from _whom_?" Remus was determined to find out if Kate was operating from fact – or the emotional whiplash of Sirius' behavior toward her since the new term began.

"Let's just say that I was in the wrong place at the right time, shall we? In addition to what I overheard, I've certainly gotten the idea straight from Sirius, himself. He's treated me like the ugly stepchild since we returned from holiday. It's as if we never had anything more than a passing acquaintance. Then, as if that didn't convince me, today, Sirius _told_ me that he'd spent time over the holiday with that witch who transferred here from Beauxbatons, adding that she was so beautiful she could turn a wizard's head without saying a word." The rapid tumble of words ceased as Kate paused and looked away for a few moments. When she resumed speaking, her cold demeanor had begun to give way to her sadness. "He had arranged with Peter to tell him when she was alone so he could go off to meet her. Peter came charging in while I was there and told him where she was. It didn't take long for Sirius to leave."

"Well, he told James and me that this girl was the daughter of old friends of his parents'. Perhaps he was asked to help her settle in here…" Remus trailed off as Kate's eyes flashed dangerously, all sadness gone.

"I'd almost be willing to believe that, Remus, if it wasn't for the fact that instead of – or perhaps in addition to – meeting with Ofelia Bullstrode, Sirius decided to revisit past conquests and spend time with his Hogsmeade dalliance…Delilah Hornsby. Clearly, I meant nothing to him, _mean_ nothing to him."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Kate," Remus responded quietly. "Sirius cares a great deal about you; more than you know."

Kate shook her head. "If he does, Remus, it's only in the way he's 'cared' about all the _other _witches he's chased, caught and probably slept with. I was stupid enough to believe that he meant all the lovely things he said to me, when all the while, I was just one of many other girls listening to his lines. I'm finished with that, now."

Remus sighed. He thought of Sirius and how anxious he was about finding time to speak with Kate – to tell her the truth about his behavior. His task would obviously be more difficult than even _he'd _imagined.

Remus gently squeezed her hand again. "Kate, if I may, I'd like to ask something of you – as a friend."

"Of course, Remus."

"If an opportunity arises for you to hear the other side of the story – from its source – will you listen?"

"Remus, please; I can't bring myself to look at Sirius, let alone listen to anything he has to say. Please don't ask it of me," Kate implored him.

"But I _am _asking. I care for you both and it seems only fair that Sirius have a chance to tell _his _side. You're a fair-minded person, Kate, and you don't usually make decisions without knowing all sides of the matter. I suspect the source of your information does not have all the facts," Remus was insistent. "You think Sirius deceived you by treating you one way before Christmas and in a completely different manner since we've returned, am I right?"

"I've already told you that."

"But you've not asked him about his change in behavior, then? This morning, for example, when you learned about the time he spent with the Bullstrode witch, you didn't ask him if she was the reason he'd changed his behavior towards you, right? Why your relationship appeared to have changed so dramatically?" Remus watched Kate's face pale as he spoke, and he hated the fact that his words – and the manner in which they were delivered – were responsible.

"No," she whispered. "I haven't asked him."

"Don't you think you should ask, Kate? Or at least listen to him if he comes to you …"

Kate shook her head and began to back away. "How can you be so cruel to me? Do you think I _want_ to hear how little I mean to him? Do you think I want to hear him tell me that he'd rather be with witches like Delilah because they'll … they'll, and that because I said early on that I wasn't like that, I'm not good enough?" She had reached the door now and blindly tried to find the handle through her tears. "Isn't it bad enough that I know it's true? Isn't it enough that I heard her telling them that he was finished with me, that I was a _fling_?"

Remus realized that he had grossly overstepped himself and tried desperately to remedy the situation. He reached around Kate and grasped the handle, but Kate's hand reached it at the same time. "Let me go," she cried. "I thought you were my _friend_…" Kate tried to pry his fingers from the handle, but Remus kept his hand where it was, placing the other on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"Kate, _please_, I'll open the door in a moment. You need to calm yourself – _please_. You'll make yourself ill if you don't; you could easily fall down those steps and injure yourself," he spoke softly, but urgently, not removing his hand from her shoulder.

Gradually, Kate seemed to calm a bit, taking deep breaths and focusing her attention on a large knot in the tower door. Soon, she wiped at her eyes and cheeks with the hand that was not resting on top of Remus', which was still grasping the door handle.

"Better?" his hoarse voice was very soft now, almost as if he was afraid that saying anything at all would cause Kate to become upset again. When she didn't respond, Remus sighed. "I'm so very sorry, Kate. I _am _your friend and I didn't mean to upset you, truly I didn't."

"Would you please let go the handle?" Kate removed her hand where it covered his. Remus pulled the door open and waited for her to pass through it. As she did so, Kate finally looked at him, her face reflecting her sadness. "Good night, Remus."

"Kate, I'm so …" Remus began to apologize to her again, but the young witch had already turned and begun to walk quickly down the stairs.

XXXXXXXX

When Remus finally arrived back in Gryffindor Tower, only James was left in the Common Room. He looked up as he heard the portrait door close, his grim expression confirming Remus' suspicion that Kate's emotions had been noticed upon her return.

He dropped onto an armchair next to the sofa where James was sitting.

"I'm guessing Kate got back to the Tower safely," Remus opened.

James snorted quietly. "Looked like _someone _had hexed her Kneazle, but I suspect you know something about that."

Remus nodded miserably. "I tried to convince her to listen to Sirius if the opportunity arose and he tried to talk with her. I asked her if she'd asked him directly about his change in behavior toward her. I'm afraid I was a bit …" he trailed off, remembering his behavior and loathe to properly define it. James had no such problem.

"Aggressive? Insistent?"

"'Passionate' would have been my ultimate choice of adjective, Prongs," Remus muttered. "I was only trying to help them both by attempting to gain her agreement that Sirius could at least _try _to explain things to her."

"Yeah, well, I think you were rather spectacularly unsuccessful there, mate," James said quietly. "Your heart was in the right place, though. That's some comfort anyhow."

Remus huffed quietly. "Cold comfort. I think that in trying to help one friend, I may very easily have lost another."

James shook his head. "What is it about him, Moony? I mean, Padfoot finds himself in a spot and dreams up these wild schemes to make everything right. Only, he can't _see_ that his plan is _rubbish_ – we have to point it out to him. Sometimes, we get to him before he completely bollixes it up; other times, like now, he gets a leg up on being stupid before we can stop him. All he had to do was go to her, Moony; all he had to do was talk to Kate, explain what was happening. It would have been fine."

Remus nodded. "It's fear."

James looked at the werewolf sharply. "Padfoot's not a coward, Remus; he's stood up to more than most wizards his age have had to."

Remus sighed and looked at his friend. "I never said he wasn't brave, James. Sirius is one of the bravest people I know. I think he could slay dragons if he put his mind to it. What he fears is losing the people who matter to him. You know that. You also know a great deal more of what goes on in the Black home than the rest of us. Even I know there aren't a lot of people there who matter to him; sadder still is that _he_ doesn't really matter to _them_, I don't believe. Perhaps it really isn't so much 'fear' as _survival_." Remus smiled thinly. "I know a bit about 'fear' and 'survival', after all, although I'm only an expert in my own, particular situation."

James leaned over and clasped the werewolf's shoulder. "You're expert enough to recognize it in Padfoot, I think. And you're friend enough to get him to give up the wrong plan for the right one."

Remus shook his head. "That remains to be seen, Prongs. I've talked him into abandoning his deception of Kate and opting to approach her directly, instead. Regrettably, that may not happen after what I heard from her tonight; I don't believe Kate has any intention of getting close enough to him so he can try to talk to her."

"I hope you're wrong, Remus. I haven't seen Sirius get like this over any other bird. I'm not really sure what it will do to him if she doesn't."

The two wizards fell to their own thoughts and, for a time, the only sound in the room was the crackle of the fire.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, the reason for Kate's early meeting with Slughorn became apparent when Slytherin and Gryffindor 5th years gathered for double Potions. Sirius walked to his usual table and dropped into the seat that had been his during first term. Kate had shared the table as Sirius' partner and it was plain that the reason for the slight up-tick in Sirius' mood was that he expected that partnership to continue in the new term. He was to be disappointed. As he was digging through his bag for parchment, quill and ink, Sirius heard the _thud_ of a book bag on the table and looked over to see Frank Longbottom sliding into the other chair. A quick sweep of the classroom confirmed that Kate was now partnered with Peter Pettigrew.

"Looks like you're right, mate," James mouthed to Remus, inclining his head toward where Peter was now seated, face flushed and casting sidelong glances at his new partner.

Remus followed his gaze and shook his head. _And I would have been a good deal happier if I'd been wrong_, he thought. His gaze moved to where Sirius was sitting with _his _new partner. Remus observed the slump of the boy's shoulders as he tried to focus on the lesson and not on the occupants of the table two rows ahead. _A good deal happier, indeed._

XXXXXXXX

The week progressed without much variation in the new routine: for those classes Kate shared with the Marauders, she managed to slip into her seat just as the professors were calling the class to order. When classes ended, she either moved quickly ahead of the masses to reach the door first or engaged someone in conversation until the Marauders had left the room. Meals were relatively easy as Kate simply arrived after she knew the Marauders had seated themselves and found her own place as far away from them as she could. Evenings found her studying at her desk in the dorm room or in the library – when she was certain her friends were otherwise occupied. It was here the Remus found her on Friday evening, alone, with a stack of Potions reference books spread out before her.

"Hello, Kate," he spoke quietly, but she started slightly all the same.

"Hi, Remus."

"I wondered if I might speak with you for just a moment," Remus continued. At her nod, he sat in the chair across from her.

"I haven't had an opportunity to apologize for the things I said to you on the Astronomy Tower. I didn't mean to hurt you and I certainly never intended to lose your friendship, Kate," Remus said. I miss you and I'm very, very sorry, indeed that your absence was due to my own insensitivity. I hope that one day you can forgive me." He made to rise, but Kate leaned over and put her hand on his arm.

"Wait," she whispered. "I miss you, too. Please stay."

Remus shook his head and gestured over his shoulder. "Madam Pince will _not _be amused if we disturb the other students," he smiled.

Kate looked around. "I was finished studying anyway. Shall we find someplace to talk?"

Remus nodded. "I'd like that very much."

Remus helped Kate gather her things and walked beside her through the doors to the library – both unaware of the black eyes following them from several tables away.


	21. Confrontations

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 21 – Confrontations

"Where _are _we?"

"It's a surprise. Stand back."

"What on earth are you doing to that portrait?"

"Tickling the pear."

"'_Tickling the_ …'? Oh …," Kate's eyes grew as a door handle appeared on the door before her. With a rather large grin, Remus pulled on the handle and gestured for Kate to enter; with one more glance at his amused expression, she did.

"Welcome to the kitchens," Remus said, closing the door behind him.

Immediately, the two students were surrounded by house elves, bowing low and chattering animatedly over one another. Kate caught no more than every third word or so, but Remus seemed to be fully aware of everything the elves said as he grasped her elbow and led her to the end of one of four long tables situated in the room.

"Fancy being Ravenclaw for awhile?" Remus asked, motioning her onto one of the benches before taking his seat opposite hers.

Kate glanced around. "Sorry?"

"Each of these tables is situated directly beneath it's counterpart in the Great Hall; we're sitting in Ravenclaw, Gryffindor is just there, beyond that is Hufflepuff and over on the far wall is, of course, Slytherin," he explained. Food is arranged on these tables and magicked up to the Great Hall at mealtimes. It reappears exactly as the house elves arrange it down here in the kitchens."

Kate cocked her head to one side. "You seem to know a great deal about the goings-on in the Hogwarts kitchens. Care to explain?"

Remus was spared an immediate response by the appearance of a particularly tiny house elf who bowed, introduced herself as 'Puggins', then stood at Remus' side and simply beamed at him.

"Master Remus hasn't been to visit for a long time," she said, shifting her weight from one bare foot to the other in her excitement. "And now he comes with his lady friend. Puggins brings snacks … _chocolate_ snacks … and butter beer, yes?" she gave him an exaggerated wink with one large blue eye while patting his arm conspiratorially. Remus felt his face flush as he thanked the elf and lifted his head to find Kate barely able to hold back her laughter.

"It appears you have an admirer, _Master Remus_," she teased. "I'll guess the answer to my question: you come here a _lot_!"

Remus shrugged and returned her smile. "See the table in that corner over there?" He pointed to a spot well away from the kitchen traffic. At her nod, he continued. "Well, some of the best of the Marauders' pranks have been planned at that table."

"Hmm; I'm surprised no one's installed a plaque to commemorate its place in history," Kate declared just as Puggins returned, pushing a trolley laden with all manner of chocolate: from devil's food cake to chocolate cream pie; from brownies thick with warm fudge to chocolate chip cookies, it appeared that the kitchen's full compliment of the treat had been crammed onto the cart. Once it had all been settled before them, the little creature reached beneath the linen cloth and produced a bucket of ice into which a dozen bottles of butter beer had been wedged.

"Master Remus and Missy …?" she paused.

"_Kate_," Remus supplied, grinning.

"Master Remus and Missy _Kate_ should stay as long as they likes; and if they wants anything else, Puggins brings it!" smiling brightly, the house elf nodded at them and pushed her cart away from the table.

The two friends looked at each other and burst out laughing. After they'd calmed a bit, Remus leaned across the table and gently clasped Kate's hand. "I'm truly sorry, Kate," he said quietly. "Please forgive me."

Kate turned her hand over so she could give him an answering squeeze. "I forgive you, Remus. I know that you're just trying to help; it can't be fun stuck in the middle."

Remus sighed in relief. "I wasn't looking forward to having this week repeat itself for the rest of our Hogwarts careers."

Kate shook her head. "I couldn't have kept it up that long, Remus. I've missed you," she confessed.

"And besides, I come with such fringe benefits," Remus laughed, sweeping his hand over the varieties of chocolate piled in front of them. He picked up a plate. "What's your pleasure?"

Having each eaten as much chocolate as they could bear – Remus' threshold for the stuff far outlasting Kate's – the two friends sat back and nursed their butter beers. Each knew there were things they needed to address; both understood that to put the other night firmly behind them, those matters needed to be resolved before they returned to their respective dormitories.

"So," Kate began, feeling a bit tentative.

"So," Remus returned, fingers nervously picking at the label on his bottle. Finally, his eyes met hers. "Sirius."

Kate felt a small swoop in her chest at the sound of the boy's name. She shook it off. "Sirius," she said resolutely.

"You know, it strikes me that we're going to be here a very long time if we do nothing more than repeat each other's words," Remus smiled. "We've never had a problem talking to each other before now. Let's just make a pact that we won't be upset by anything that's said – at least to the point of walking away – and just … _talk_."

Kate exhaled sharply. "Ok. I'll start, yes?"

At his nod, Kate began, "You saw how Sirius and I were before we left for the holiday; I don't think either of us knew what we were doing – _really_, but we had agreed to try to figure it all out. He became so depressed just before we all left; I know he doesn't like being at home with his family, but he started out by telling me that it was just a lack of sleep that was making him irritable. I'm not stupid, Remus; I know why he wasn't sleeping."

Remus nodded, his eyes sad. "Did you push him?"

"A bit, but you know what it's like to push Sirius. It didn't get me very far at all. The day we left, it felt to me that he was pulling back a bit, that he was distancing himself from me. I put it down to his anxiety about going home for Christmas but now … given what's been happening with him since we got back …" Kate's voice trailed off and, to her dismay, she felt the prickle of tears in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, hoping to stave them off.

"Will you tell me what's happened?" Remus said quietly. He remembered well her reaction to that request several evenings before; he hoped their pact would prevent a recurrence. To his relief, Kate nodded.

"When I walked into the Hall and went up to our table, it was obvious that Sirius had changed. He couldn't keep his eyes from Ofelia Bullstrode. He managed to avoid me until the next afternoon when I caught up with him in the Common Room. Again, it was all about Ofelia; she can hex people in French, she's beautiful, she was top of her class at Beauxbatons. I think if I'd given him any encouragement, he'd have talked about her until my ears fell off," Kate said, her fingers unconsciously shredding her napkin into tiny pieces.

"And that's when Peter came in and saved your ears," Remus prompted, reaching over and stilling Kate's hands. She folded her hands in her lap and nodded.

"If you want to refer to it as that, yes."

"Where does Delilah come into it?"

"I was walking behind her – _and_ her little group – on the way to dinner… my _first_ attempt at going to dinner that night … and she was telling them all about her 'romantic interlude' with Sirius." Kate lowered her voice and leaned closer to Remus. "She had a very large "love bite" on her neck as proof of their … activities."

Remus' eyes widened, remembering that Sirius had been sporting what sounded to be a similar mark when he'd returned to the dorm that day.

"Delilah told the other girls that I was nothing but a fling for him and that he was well over me. Sirius hasn't done a thing to prove her wrong," Kate finished, brushing away the tears that, this time, she had been unable to quell.

"Don't you think that you owe it to yourself to hear the truth from Sirius?" Remus asked softly. "I know that it would hurt to hear him say those same things to you, but even if he does, will it cause more pain than you're feeling right now?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, I believe that it will. I'll be honest with you, Remus; right now, I have only the word of a very self-absorbed witch who could have been puffing herself up in front of her friends. If I ask Sirius directly and he confirms it, well…"

"You'll know what's true, then, won't you? And don't you think you deserve the truth?"

"Yes, I do. I'm just not sure I'm ready to hear it. And I _know_ I'm not ready to march up to him and ask any questions. I can't bear to be in the same room with him unless it's a classroom filled with students." Kate drew a deep breath. "I'm not ready to have the conversation with him. Can you respect that?"

Remus nodded. "Of course I can, Kate. Have you given any thought to what you'll do if _he _approaches _you_?"

Kate shrugged. "I'll have to face him, then, won't I? I can hardly run screaming in the opposite direction. Anyway, the likelihood that he's going to come to me about _anything_ seems pretty remote. He hasn't tried thus far and I'm sure he's entirely too preoccupied with Ofelia or Delilah – or both – to bother about me." Kate finished her butter beer and placed the empty bottle on the table. They were quiet for a few moments as Kate collected herself. "I should probably get back. Since I've wriggled out of studying tonight, I can continue skiving off and read a book for my own enjoyment until bedtime."

Remus rose and they both turned to thank the house elves for their hospitality. A sizeable group, led by the still-beaming Puggins, assured them that they were _most _welcome to return at any time and stood waving until the students left.

"Moony! What are _you_ doing way down here at this time of night? And why didn't you ask me to … " Sirius' voice sounded behind them, stopping when he saw who had been standing behind his friend. "Kate," he said softly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his robes.

The surprised witch inadvertently took a step closer to Remus – and away from the dark-haired wizard. "Sirius," she said equally quietly. Remus remained silent, not knowing how to respond and not wanting to step on anything Kate might want to say. The result was a very disquieting atmosphere.

Sirius fidgeted for a few moments as the silence began to wear on his already frayed nerves. He hated surprises – always had done – and running into Kate was definitely a surprise. Without even realizing it, Sirius turned to his foolproof method of diffusing tension: humor. It gave him control of an awkward situation, and, at its most effective, successfully deflected attention from himself to someone else. Casting about for an appropriately witty comment, Sirius heard himself saying, "So, Moony, you sly dog, does Dorcas know you're down here with Kate?" He waggled his eyebrows. "Don't you worry about a thing…your guilty secret's safe with me. I'll never say a word." Even as the words tumbled out of his mouth, he knew he'd done it again.

Remus rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what had prompted Sirius' stupidity, but also knowing the impact it would have on Kate to hear him speak so glibly. "Sirius, really…" he began, but was interrupted as Kate moved forward.

"Just for the record, Sirius," she said quietly, although her eyes flashed her anger. "_I_ am not the type of witch to knowingly pursue a wizard already in a relationship – of _any_ kind. _I _would never hurt a friend that way – and Dorcas is my friend, as is Remus." Kate turned back toward Remus. "Thanks for the chocolate and the conversation, Remus. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, she walked swiftly along the corridor away from the two wizards who were staring after her.

"You know, Padfoot, there _are _people who manage their nerves by remaining quiet," Remus observed.

Sirius nodded miserably. He turned and started to follow Kate at a run, but Remus caught him by the scruff of his robes before he'd gotten too far. "Bloody werewolf reflexes," grumbled the mass of black hair and misery at the end of Remus' arm.

"Every now and again they come in quite handy, Pads," Remus said. "Now, if I let go will you stay put?"

"_Yes_, Moony," Sirius replied and Remus could fairly _hear _his eyes roll in his tone.

"Good," the werewolf replied. "Now, let's take a leisurely walk back to the tower and we can discuss why charging after Kate in your current state – and _hers_ – is actually counterproductive, yes?"

"Fine," Sirius muttered. "Remus, you – and James – have been at me to speak with Kate all week. She's been avoiding me like the plague and I finally have the chance to actually _do it_ and you stop me."

"How wrong of me," Remus said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I mean really, Padfoot, you only insulted her by accusing her of trying to steal me away from one of her friends. Why _wouldn't_ she be receptive to a calm, rational discussion with you? I'm assuming you also missed her reference to the fact that there were other witches around here who didn't share her views on fidelity?"

"No, Remus, I totally understood everything Kate said to me, thank you very much," Sirius stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his friend. "I'm not as stupid as you lot seem to think I am. I might not always make the best choices and my timing couldn't be worse sometimes, but this is new for me. I've never felt like this. I know I was an idiot with my _big plan_ with Kate, but I _know_ that now and all I want to do is set things right again."

Remus nodded and slung his arm around the other wizard's shoulders. "I know, Pads; just not tonight. Give her time to get over her mad, ok? Maybe you can catch her tomorrow."

Sirius shook his head. "Can't. I have Quidditch tomorrow. You know that, Moony."

"Quidditch doesn't last _all_ _day_. I'll see if I can get her to come to the match with Dorcas and me. We'll take our time walking back up to the castle when it's over and maybe you can catch her then."

Sirius was quiet as he considered his friend's proposal. "And if she doesn't want to talk with me right then, perhaps we can set up a time to get together before the weekend is over. As long as she'll go with you to the match," he finished, his brow furrowing. "Of course, it's just as likely that she'll beg off; say she has to study. Anything to avoid talking with me."

"As long as you're thinking positively," Remus muttered.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning dawned clear and cold. Over breakfast, Kate had agreed to attend the Quidditch match with Remus and made arrangements to meet him in the entrance hall after changing into suitably warm clothing. They soon joined the throngs of students crunching through the snow toward the Quidditch pitch, eagerly awaiting the match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

"Mind your step; it's a long way down," Peter called as he, Dorcas, Remus, Kate and Lily found places in the front of the stands. The wizard had received a pair of _Omnioculars_ as a Christmas gift from his uncle and he was generous in sharing them with the rest of his friends. Remus took the device from Lily and carefully turned the various knobs until he found the control that brought the players into closer range. Several friends of the Marauders were also on the team: Frank Longbottom, Samir Patil and Dorcas' brother Steven were huddled together at the Gryffindor end, apparently discussing strategy with a couple of the other players Remus didn't know well. Remus scanned the sky and found James and Sirius similarly engaged mid-field. As Remus' attention turned toward the crowd on the other side of the pitch, his gaze landed on a group of Slytherin students. Ofelia Bullstrode, draped in what appeared to be a very expensive fur cloak, was surrounded by what was quickly becoming her typical entourage: Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa and Bellatrix Black and, seated to her immediate right, Severus Snape. _I can't recall the last Quidditch match Severus attended_, Remus mused. He remembered James' report of Snape and Ofelia lingering over tea in the Great Hall. Filing the information away, Remus turned to hand the _Omnioculars_ to Kate when a voice in front of them made him pause. _Sirius_.

"Good morning, ladies and gents," the dark-haired wizard greeted his friends as he hovered on his broom before them. "Nice to see everyone up bright and early – ready to cheer the gallant boys of Gryffindor to victory yet again!" Sirius' glance fell on Kate. "Came to see your Quidditch lesson in action, eh, Kate?" he asked, his tone a bit less confident.

His comment caught Kate by surprise and she couldn't think of anything to say in response. Before she had time to recover herself, a whistle sounded from below and Sirius flew off – but not before Kate saw the smile slip from his face.

"Care to try these?" Remus asked, handing her the _Omnioculars_.

"Thanks," she murmured, raising them to her eyes and making the necessary adjustments to enhance the view. The match had begun and Kate was stunned by the speed and agility with which all players flew. Sirius and James, however, were the best of the lot; indeed, it seemed that flying was as natural to them both as breathing, if their fearlessness was any indication. Kate found herself holding her breath at the heart-stopping maneuvers Sirius, in particular, executed in his position as Chaser. Sirius wove between players – his own teammates as well as the opposition – Quaffle tucked firmly under his arm, focus exclusively on the rings that beckoned before him. A bludger streaked out of nowhere, aimed directly at his head, but at the last moment Sirius gave a great lunge to his right, flipping himself upside-down on his broom and effectively avoiding the hit. A great roar rose from the Gryffindor section then, and again moments later, as Sirius hurled the Quaffle through the tallest ring, putting Gryffindor on the board first. Kate exhaled in relief as the two teams met at mid-field to resume play.

"Do you think I could have my arm back now?" Remus' amused voice sounded very near her ear. Kate looked down to see that she had a death grip on the werewolf's forearm. Smiling weakly, she removed her hand.

"Sorry," she said. "It's not quite as nerve-wracking when you're just listening to the stories."

"Oh, no?" Remus raised an eyebrow at her. "Apparently, you haven't heard the right stories!"

Kate smiled and tapped Peter on the shoulder to return the _Omnioculars_ to him. He smiled back at her and waved her away. "I can use them anytime, Kate. You go ahead. I'll tell you when I want them."

Thanking the boy, Kate straightened and again brought the device to her eyes. Feeling the need to give her nerves a rest for a moment, she used them to scan the crowd, locating the tight knot of Slytherins sitting across from them. She was drawn to Ofelia, who appeared to be holding court over her housemates. Kate caught her breath sharply and corrected herself. _With the exception of the wizard seated to her right_, Kate amended her earlier thought. As she watched, it was apparent that Ofelia did not have the same almost regal disdain for Severus Snape as she exhibited for Malfoy and the Black sisters. _Interesting._ While there seemed to be no physical contact between the two, they were quite involved in their conversation and Kate reflected that Severus appeared to be more relaxed in her company than at any other time she had seen him. _I wonder if Sirius knows he might have some competition._ Knowing how much Sirius hated the Slytherin, Kate felt that if he did know, Sirius would undoubtedly double his efforts to make the beautiful witch notice him. Losing to Severus Snape in _anything _was not optional, she knew. Kate had the feeling that when the competition involved a witch, Sirius would stop at nothing to win.

Sighing, Kate continued to divide her attention between the game and crowd watching. Gryffindor was ahead by a score of 50 to 20 and the Golden Snitch had still not made an appearance (according to Peter, who was keeping up a running commentary for the benefit of a brown-haired witch from Hufflepuff who had slid into a seat near them). As she again brought the Slytherin section into focus, Kate spotted Regulus Black seated a short distance from the others, his gaze fixed on the sky, eyes darting back and forth as he followed the game. Kate looked away from the first year and immediately recognized that it was his older brother who commanded the boy's attention. If Sirius took a bump or was knocked off course, Regulus' face would reflect his concern; if Sirius successfully executed a particularly difficult or dangerous move, the younger boy's eyes would glitter with pride and Kate was certain there was the faintest hint of a smile on his face. Throughout the time she observed him, however, Kate noted that Regulus seemed to keep one eye on the game and the other on his cousins and their friends. Kate sighed; House loyalties ran deep – that she knew. Apparently, Regulus walked a very fine line between his immediate and extended families. Kate remembered the incident in Hogsmeade, when Regulus had thrown the snowball that had cut Sirius' face so badly. She was certain his fellow Slytherins had hexed the snowball. The boy sitting on the other side of the pitch with the cautious look of admiration for his brother would never have done so.

Kate's attention turned back to the game just in time to see James pull up and stare hard at where they were seated in the stands. Suddenly, he launched his broom toward them at an incredible speed and Kate was sure he would run right into them. A blur of blue to James' left represented the Ravenclaw Seeker who had realized that the Gryffindor Seeker had seen the elusive Snitch and was now streaking toward it. Unfortunately, the realization had come a bit late in the day for Ravenclaw. James was a superb flyer, but he was an even better Seeker. Just when it seemed that he would, indeed, drive the broom – and himself – headlong into the front of the stands, in one motion James pulled up his broom sharply and reached right in front of Lily. Not one to waste an opportunity, James shocked the group by leaning in and planting a brief kiss on Lily's cheek before rising a bit higher in the air, his closed fist lifted above his head. Grinning widely, James then unclenched his hand to reveal the Golden Snitch fluttering in his palm.

"Gryffindor _wins_!" called Damon Thomas, the Gryffindor 7th year announcing the game and the crowd roared around them.

The team flew over to surround James, who endured much backslapping before the knot of players drifted lazily down to the field below. Kate turned to Lily, who, cheeks scarlet, was peering over the rail toward the direction of the Gryffindor team. Kate sincerely doubted that her best friend's high color was entirely due to the chill.

Kate put her hand on the redhead's arm. "Lily?"

The other witch jumped slightly, color deepening. She turned in Kate's direction only to be met by the sight of her friend's knowing grin. "Oh, shut _up_!" Lily muttered.

Kate laughed out loud and whispered, "_Caught you!" _Lily treated her to a reluctant, but genuine smile. Linking arms with her friend, Lily said, "He's an idiot, you know."

Kate laughed and allowed herself to be pulled along toward the steps that led out of the stands. She could hear Remus and Dorcas chuckling behind them. "Too true," she whispered, leaning closer to Lily. "But after _that _performance, it would appear that he's _your_ idiot!"

Lily threw her a startled look before shaking her head in defeat. "Merlin help me!"

The friends finally reached the ground and moved aside to allow those from the higher seats to exit.

"So, what now? Do we want to wait for them here or meet them back in the Common Room?" Dorcas asked. Remus cast a sidelong glance at Kate who kept glancing between the Players' Tent and the distant castle.

"Why don't we wait and head up together? It will give the others a chance to set up the victory party before we get there!" Peter could generally be counted upon to find a way out of more manual labor. Typically, Remus could shame them all into lending a hand but this time, he smiled at the smaller boy.

"Capital idea, Pete," he said, patting his friend on the back. "We'll help them clean up instead; how's that?"

Everyone laughed when Peter's groan was the only reply.

Kate waited a little apart from the group. It was unfortunate that they would all be paired off: Remus with Dorcas, Lily with James – undoubtedly – and Peter with the little Hufflepuff girl who had simply tagged along with him when they all rose to leave. Kate was the odd-witch-out and she knew that this would mean that Sirius would fall in with her when the team finally made its appearance. She also knew that Sirius' adrenaline rush from the win could push things one of two ways: he could focus only on the re-telling of every thrilling play or – worse – he would decide to use his good fortune to its best advantage and try to get Kate alone to speak with her. Mindful of Remus' comments from the night before, Kate thought the latter was the more likely choice and she knew she was not ready. She meant what she said when she told Remus she wouldn't run away from Sirius, but she never promised that she would help _create_ such an opportunity for him, after all. Kate was just about to tell her friends that she'd meet them in the Common Room when the players started to file out of their tent, looking around the various knots of people milling around the immediate vicinity.

"_Brilliant_! You all waited," James walked over to his friends, broom slung over his shoulder, coming to a stop next to Lily. She favored him with a brief smile, but Kate noticed that her cheeks were flushed once again.

Kate glanced nervously in the direction from which James had come and found Sirius now standing on the other side of the group. When their eyes met, he hesitated only a moment before coming around to where she stood. Once or twice, Kate heard the wizard take a deep breath as if to speak, but each time, Sirius simply exhaled sharply, his breath a white cloud on the chilly air.

"Great game, Steve," Dorcas called as her brother passed by with his own group of friends. The brunette waved and smiled at them but continued up to the castle.

"Ah, here come the rest," James said a moment or two later as the straggling members of the team finally finished up and joined them.

The friends began the uphill walk back to the castle to begin their celebration. The mood was light and the team had already begun their typical post-match review of individual – and in their own words – _brilliantly spectacular_ – plays. Kate sensed Sirius lagging behind a bit and, with a sigh, realized that he would definitely _not _be joining his mates anytime soon. She turned and her thought was proven true when Sirius fell into step beside her.

"Kate, I wanted to … um, there's something I need …" Sirius began, his voice very soft.

"Sirius, wait!"

Kate and Sirius turned and Kate could see Regulus in the shadow of the stands, his hands shoved in the pockets of his robes. The boy took a tentative step forward as if afraid Sirius couldn't see him.

Sirius looked from Kate to Regulus and back again.

"Kate…"

She took a step back. "You'd better go. I'll head up to the castle."

"Wait, _please_," Sirius tried. "I just …"

"It's cold. Maybe we'll see each other in the Common Room later on," Kate said, already turning away from him to hurry after the others.

Sirius watched her for a moment, then walked over to where his younger brother stood waiting. As he approached him, Regulus stepped back further into the shadows. Sirius hesitated for a moment. Regulus had been alright over the holiday; he'd even brought Sirius toast while he'd been in the basement cell. "Got a pack of housemates lying in wait for me back there, Reg?" he tossed out, keeping his voice steady. Sirius gripped his wand more tightly where it lay in the pocket of his robes.

He saw Regulus' eyes widen in surprise. "Do you really think I'd do that to you, Sirius?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Sirius sighed. He didn't – not really – and he said as much to Regulus. "Sorry," he added.

"I just don't want anyone to see me talking to you," the younger boy confessed.

Sirius smiled wryly, his glance shooting to Kate's retreating figure. "Sounds familiar," he muttered. At Regulus' frown, he shook his head. "Don't mind me. So, afraid one of our dear _cousins_ or that prick _Malfoy_ will turn you in to the folks for rubbing elbows with me, are you?" As he watched his brother's face pale further, Sirius added, "Can't say that I blame you there, Reg. Running afoul of Mother and Father doesn't do much for your health – and _I _know first-hand!"

Regulus reached over and gripped Sirius' arm. "You don't know what I was like after you left with Dumbledore, Sirius. Mother was furious enough, but I thought _Father_ was going to explode! He went to her study and slammed the door so hard it broke and bounced part way open again. I stood outside and heard everything. He threw this leather belt in front of her and told her that she _had _to learn to control herself or _she_ would do the Black family name more harm than _you _ever could! Father told her that he'd managed to convince Dumbledore to take you to the school's hospital wing instead of St. Mungo's because it might keep things quieter. He told her that if she didn't find a way to control herself that he would have to send her away somewhere – to a place where they could make her control herself. Father told her that she couldn't hurt anyone anymore." Regulus paused for breath.

"What did _she _say to all that?" Sirius had been listening intently, shocked that his father had managed to scrape up the backbone to confront the great Walburga.

"Sirius, you should have seen her. Her face was as white as snow, and her eyes just looked…she didn't even _blink_, Sirius, not even once. She kept staring at Father and her mouth kept opening and closing, but she didn't say a word…until the end."

"What happened?"

"Mother asked him if he was finished and he sort of nodded. She picked up the belt and stood up. Mother told Father that she wouldn't allow you or anyone to ruin our family's name. She said that you provoked her, threatened her and she only acted to prevent harm to herself," Regulus' voice dropped to a whisper. "You didn't really do that, did you?"

Sirius looked back at his brother. "What do you think? You've been there when she's gotten that way with me. Have you ever heard me threaten her?"

Regulus shook his head. "I knew she wasn't telling the truth. She asked Father if he was going to take responsibility for what would happen to her if she 'controlled herself' even after you'd threatened her. I don't think he knew what to say. He sat down really hard on the chair and didn't say anything for a long time. Finally, he told her that she couldn't do anything to hurt you unless it was to protect herself. If you lashed out first, she could defend herself."

Sirius felt his blood run cold. _That's it then_, he thought to himself. _Father just gave her permission to do whatever she wants. He believed her lies; there's no one to protect me in that house now._ Sirius closed his eyes. He'd really thought that his father would be more inclined to watch out for him in future and even though it was to protect the family name, Sirius was grateful to him.

"Sirius?" Regulus was speaking again.

"Yeah, Reg," Sirius passed a hand roughly over his face. "Is there more?"

The younger wizard nodded. "That night, Mother came up to my room. She doesn't know I heard anything, by the way – and I don't _want_ her to know," he added hastily.

"Good choice."

"She told me that I was to stay away from you while we were at school. She doesn't want me talking with you or anything, but she wants me to watch you," Regulus' voice had dropped again and Sirius had to lean closer to be sure he heard him correctly.

"Spy on me, more like," Sirius interrupted.

Regulus nodded. "Yeah, but not associate with you, she said. She told me that she was going to have Cissy and Bella keep an eye on me to make sure I did what she said."

"Typical. So, that's why you were watching them during the game today, eh?" Sirius smiled at his brother's surprised look. "Yeah, well, I saw you before the match started and I checked in on you a couple of times after."

Regulus smiled. "You're a _brilliant_ Chaser, Sirius."

Sirius felt his throat tighten at the unexpected praise from his Slytherin brother. He ducked his head and waited for it to pass before replying. "So, you're supposed to spy on me and report _what_?"

Regulus' smile disappeared. "Anytime I see you with Kate Morgan, if I don't see you with Ofelia; you know – the stuff she told you that you _had_ to do."

"So, you just saw me with Kate Morgan. Are you gonna go send an owl to Grimmauld?" Sirius' voice had a certain tinge of fear to it.

Regulus shook his head firmly. "No, I'm not. And anyway, I'm not supposed to send an owl. I'm supposed to tell Bella and she's going to Floo call Mother directly."

_Wonderful. Another relative with a taste for sadistic violence_. "Thanks for keeping quiet, Reg, but why are you doing that for me?" Sirius looked closely at the younger boy.

Regulus was quiet for some time before he raised his head and looked Sirius directly in the eye. "I hated what she did to you. It scared me. I don't want it to happen again."

Sirius was taken aback by the look on his brother's face. "Oh – well, Reg, I don't think she'll do anything like that again. Remember, I've never threatened her, so she can't do it again; remember what she promised Father, yeah? I'll be ok."

"I'm not so sure," Regulus whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Mother said I should talk to you one last time. She wanted me to give you a message."

Sirius felt slightly ill. "And what was that?"

" '_I win'_"


	22. Conversations

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 22 – Conversations

Mindful of his brother's marching orders from home, Sirius stayed behind until he was certain Regulus had made it to the castle before leaving the Quidditch pitch and making his own way up the steep hill.

_'I win.'_

As he walked, Sirius could not stop thinking of all that Regulus had told him. He wasn't particularly surprised that his mother had enlisted his brother's help in making sure the elder Black heir toed the line. He might have hoped the hag would just let the boy be, but Sirius had learned long ago that hoping anything where his mother was concerned was simply an exercise in futility. What had surprised him was Regulus' betrayal of their mother's plans and manipulations – at least insofar as the younger boy had understood them. Sirius was sure there was more; his mother's maneuvers were generally more complex. That Reg had broken family confidence at all told Sirius that his younger brother probably knew no more than he'd shared. Sirius knew he'd have to keep an eye on his cousins – and Malfoy – to see if more was revealed.

So intent on his thoughts was he that Sirius was surprised to find that he'd climbed the last of the steep slope leading to the castle. Approaching the steps he stopped suddenly as Kate's face popped into his mind. It was going to be harder to make an opportunity to talk with Kate; and it had been hard enough this week as it was. According to Regulus, Sirius would now not only have to worry about Kate agreeing to talk with him, but he would need to worry about where he talked with her, as well. And, of course, there was Ofelia. He would certainly need to spend at least a bit of time with her to satisfy the spies…and keep Walburga's howlers from the door.

_'I win.'_

The thought produced a deep shiver from the Black family heir. _I hope not._

Sirius pulled open the heavy front door and stepped inside the school. Shifting his broom to his other shoulder, Sirius started to walk across the cavernous entrance hall, his heavy footsteps echoing off the stone walls. His goal was the staircase and the Gryffindor Common room beyond it. Once safely inside, his fears of being seen with Kate were gone. There were no spies in his House.

Finally, Sirius thought as he approached the portrait and gave the Fat Lady the current password. Slipping through the portrait hole, the Gryffindor Chaser was immediately met by the sound of raucous merrymaking; the celebration had well and truly begun.

"Oi! Sirius! Over here, mate," James' voice cut through the din; Sirius looked up to see his best friend surrounded by team mates and fellow Gryffindors, standing on a table and waving wildly. No longer in the mood to celebrate, Sirius summoned up what he hoped was a bright smile, waved back, then gestured to the stairs.

"C'mon, Sirius! Get over here. These blokes can't get enough of our thrilling exploits," James called, before being pulled down from the table by Frank Longbottom and Samir Patil.

Sirius shook his head and smiled. _Let Jamie have the spotlight for a while; I've got enough people watching me._

After dropping off his broomstick, Sirius grabbed his Transfiguration textbook, stuffed it into his book bag with some parchment and a new bottle of ink and headed back down the staircase. The party was still in full swing and Sirius paused on the bottom step to glance around the room before making his way through the crowd and out the portrait hole. He hadn't really expected to see Kate amongst the partygoers, but as he'd seen Lily sipping butter beer and laughing with Alice, he thought it was worth a look. Disappointed, he continued along the corridors, intent upon reaching the solitude of the library and a remote corner where he could simply sit and, if so moved, finish the Transfiguration assignment that was due on Monday.

Sirius had almost reached his destination and had just turned the last corner when he collided with something soft.

"_Ooof_," came the startled huff from the pile of robes now beneath him.

Sirius scrambled to right himself. "I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't looking where I was … oh," he finished, taking an inadvertent step backward as his victim sat up and brushed her long hair away from her face.

"Yes, _'oh'_," Ofelia Bullstrode said, her face flushed. "You really should either look where you're going or slow down," she added, extending her hand toward him.

When Sirius continued to just stare at her, Ofelia sighed. "Would you mind helping me up?"

Sirius moved forward and gently pulled the witch to her feet, immediately releasing her hand. "I really am sorry," he muttered. "Are you hurt?"

Ofelia shook her head as she brushed dust from her robes. When she looked up at him again, she had an amused look on her face. "No, I'm not hurt; are you?"

Sirius returned her rueful smile. "No, I had a softer landing than you did, after all."

They stood there for a few moments before Ofelia spoke. "This is awkward."

Sirius looked at her in surprise. "Yeah."

"We're here for an entire week and this is the first time we've spoken," Ofelia observed.

Sirius sighed, running his hand through his long hair. "I know. It's just that …"

"…this isn't what you want," Ofelia finished, gesturing between them.

Sirius' eyes widened and he searched her face. Finding nothing suspicious in her expression, he replied, "No, this isn't what I want."

Ofelia glanced around them. "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

Sirius nodded, still stunned to find himself in this situation – with this particular witch. "Yeah," he lifted his chin in the direction of the library. "There's an empty classroom just beyond the library. They don't use it for classes anymore; Filch stores a bunch of furniture and other stuff in it. We could talk there, if you'd like."

At her nod, Sirius shifted his book bag more comfortably on his shoulder and the two walked the short distance to the classroom. When they walked inside, Ofelia saw that Sirius wasn't exaggerating; all manner of old desks, chairs filing cabinets and other items lined the walls. With a wave of his wand, Sirius lit the fat, round candle that was jammed onto a plate on one of the desks. Ofelia summoned two mismatched, squashy chairs from the far corner and the two sat down across from one another.

"You don't want to honor this arrangement between our families, correct?" Ofelia leaned a bit forward in her chair as she awaited Sirius' answer.

Sirius debated his answer for long moments, scrutinizing Ofelia carefully as if seeking some inkling of how to handle the situation. Finally, with a shrug of his shoulders, he decided that he truly had nothing to lose; he might just as well level with the blonde witch. "No, I'm sorry, I don't."

With a small smile, Ofelia relaxed against the faded upholstery. "Neither do I."

Sirius smiled in relief. "It's not you, you know. I mean, you're pretty and – well, you seem ok, for a Slyth…" he stopped, the smile slipping from his face.

To his surprise, Ofelia laughed. " 'For a Slytherin'. That's what you were going to say, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah." There was no point in the lie.

"You should know, Sirius, that I do not care about Houses or the peculiarities, prejudices and loyalties in each. I'm assuming that I was sorted into Slytherin because I am Pureblooded, yes?"

"I would imagine that's true. Although, it doesn't work that way all the time," Sirius said wryly.

"Hmm. So I have heard," Ofelia responded. "I am also aware that those sorted into Slytherin have a bend for the Dark. That is another thing I do not share with my housemates." She paused and considered the wizard sitting before her before continuing. "I am like them in some ways, however."

"Really? How so?"

"Sirius, I have my own reasons for not wanting to go along with this agreement – reasons I don't propose to share. If we are, in the end, forced to … well, to marry, then I shall tell you. For now, however, I will keep my own counsel."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "The Sorting Hat wasn't wrong about you."

Ofelia laughed shortly. "You will recall that I never said it was. No, Sirius, I am only concerned with myself - and my own interests. That probably has as much to do with my Sorting as anything else, based on what I've seen in my short time at Hogwarts."

"Sounds about right, especially given who you've been spending your time with. My cousins and their friends are Slytherin to the core, as you've no doubt noticed by now."

"Yes. I'll confess that I do not care for your cousins very much – nor for your cousin Narcissa's fiancé. He is boorish and cruel and has quite an exaggerated impression of his own appeal. I would prefer spending as little time in his presence as can be managed." Ofelia paused and sighed sharply, adding. "That has proven to be difficult enough; it seems that he is always present."

"Has Malfoy threatened you?" Sirius demanded. Even though their agreement was distasteful to them both, Sirius felt some degree of outrage that someone even remotely his fiancée would be forced to endure the attentions of Lucius Malfoy.

Ofelia smiled slightly in acknowledgement of Sirius' demeanor. "I did not ask to talk with you so we could discuss the revolting Lucius Malfoy." She suppressed a small shudder.

Sirius shifted in his chair; it did not escape his notice that she did not answer him. "So, why did you want to speak with me, Ofelia?"

"My father is very conscious of social standing and blood purity; he is quite happy, therefore, with my placement in Slytherin. He is also not very forgiving of those who do not embrace the old ways or those who would flaunt their disdain for our Pureblood traditions. You know that my brother has made my father aware of your rather colorful romantic reputation. You do not need to defend yourself to me," Ofelia raised both her voice and her hand to forestall the heated words with which Sirius was preparing to interrupt her. "I assure you that I do not care with whom you … spend your time, shall we say?" The blonde witch paused and gazed out one of the stained glass windows for several moments as if considering her next words carefully. When she again turned her attention to Sirius, he was quite obviously trying to keep his temper in check. Ofelia gave him a small smile. "I saw you in the courtyard, you know. With that girl."

Sirius nodded curtly. "Yes, I know. I saw you."

"Did you bring her there on purpose? Did you know that I would be there?"

"Yes. I asked a friend of mine to tell me whenever you were alone," Sirius confessed. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Ofelia seemed amused. "So your … performance … was staged for my benefit?"

Sirius colored slightly. "Not exclusively."

"But you brought that witch to the courtyard so that I would see you, yes?"

"It's not as if I had to force her," he huffed, standing and beginning to pace in anger. "She was bloody well willing to …"

Ofelia reached out and caught his hand as he passed between their chairs. "Sit down, Sirius. I can't talk to you properly if you're storming up and down." When he hesitated, she repeated herself. "Sit _down_."

Eyes still blazing, Sirius tugged his hand away from hers and resumed his seat.

"Thank you. Now, I never said the girl appeared to be acting against her will. No, on the contrary, she looked like she was quite enjoying herself." Ofelia's voice was quiet in an attempt to inspire something of the same calm in her companion.

Anger only slightly reduced, Sirius folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "She was – we both were." He looked sharply at Ofelia. "Why are you telling me this? Why do you care?"

"I'm curious as to why you'd want me to see such an intimate moment. I doubt very highly that it was simply that you wished for me to see how experienced you are in this area," Ofelia felt her face flush and was amused to see an answering rush of color to Sirius' cheeks. "Why did you go to so much trouble to stage this rendezvous?"

"The truth?"

"Of course."

"I know that your father expects me to behave like a bloody eunuch until I pass whatever test he's got that proves me worthy of marrying you. If I don't live up to his expectations, he goes to my parents and the whole arrangement is off. I've already told you that I don't want this; I reckoned that the best way to make sure it didn't happen was to make sure you saw me snogging as many witches as I could pull. You'd go running to Daddy – or Arturo, which would be the same thing, really – and I'd get out of it," Sirius explained, looking Ofelia directly in the eye as he spoke.

"That was your plan," Ofelia offered.

"That was my plan," he confirmed.

"And what of Kate Morgan?" Ofelia said, casually. When the young wizard jumped slightly at her question, she smiled. "I wonder where she fits in this plan of yours. I have heard that you and this girl are … close."

Sirius shook his head. "Were. I'm afraid we aren't close any longer. Because of my bloody plan." When Ofelia didn't answer and simply continued to look at him, Sirius continued, "I haven't been all that nice to her since we got back from holiday. I've been talking about you and then she was there when Peter came in to tell me you were in the courtyard so she's just added that to the reputation that you already know about and has apparently decided that I'm not really worth getting involved with after all." Sirius paused for breath. "She's been avoiding me like a bad case of dragon pox." He looked at Ofelia curiously. "And I can't for the life of me understand why I'm sitting here telling you about all of this."

"Perhaps because you know that I find this situation as unpleasant as you do," Ofelia said simply.

"Ofelia," Sirius said thoughtfully, "were you forced to give up someone you had feelings for?"

"I told you at the off that I…" Ofelia began, but Sirius was undeterred.

"Or have you found someone else since coming to Hogwarts? It's only been a week, but I suppose it could happen," he mused, seemingly unaware – or unconcerned – that she had spoken. "It's the only reason I can think of that you'd defy your parents in this."

"I told you that my interests are my own; I will not discuss them with you," Ofelia's voice was louder than she intended.

Amazed to see her cool demeanor slip, Sirius went silent. Collecting herself, the young witch continued, "Perhaps it is simply that I do not wish my life to be dictated by other people – even if those people are my own parents."

"I think it's more than that," Sirius said shrewdly.

"I cannot help what you think," she said, quieter now. "I won't discuss this with you any further."

"Fine," Sirius shrugged indifferently. "I suppose it really doesn't matter in the end anyway. So, where does this leave us?"

"Perhaps we can work together to make sure our …respective interests … are protected." Her expression grew thoughtful. "My brother watches me constantly."

Sirius snorted. "We have something of the same problem. Regulus has been tasked with making certain I do two things: spend time with you and, of course, avoid Kate Morgan. I step out of line – he goes to my cousin Bellatrix. She will relay the facts – or her own interpretation of them – to my dear mother in London."

Ofelia leaned forward. "Won't your mother react badly if Bellatrix does this?"

A shadow seemed to cross the boy's face for a moment. "Yes, I believe she will." When Ofelia drew breath to speak again, Sirius held up his hand. "Like you, there are certain things I do not discuss. My relationship with my parents is one of them. Totally out of bounds. So, if I were you, I'd ask something else." Sirius' eyes flashed dangerously.

Ofelia nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry. Do you think there's a chance that Regulus might look the other way on any of the behaviors you've described?"

"There may be. He happened across Kate and I standing next to each other after the Quidditch match today. I asked him about reporting it back and he got a bit shirty with me and said that he wouldn't do that. I think he was telling me the truth," Sirius responded, calmer now.

"Right. Then, we need to make sure your cousins see us together often enough. Of course, my brother will also see us, which could be problematic. He hates you, you know."

"He's hardly the first one in line, there. What's his reason?"

"Oh, he doesn't think the Blacks are good enough for the Bullstrodes," Ofelia said lightly. "He thinks you're far too wild and unrefined; you know – the usual."

"So if he sees us together, I could get hexed," Sirius offered flatly.

"I don't think it's that bad. You're going to have to be careful about talking with Kate, though," Ofelia said carefully.

"I don't think that's going to be much of a problem …wait," Sirius' brow furrowed. "You really don't care about that? About Kate and me, and…?"

Ofelia shook her head. "No, I don't. Sirius, make no mistake; if we can't figure out a way to get our parents to agree to call this thing off, we're going to be married. Period. And then Kate and … well, then everything will be over and done with. If you have a chance to put things right with her then you should do it. At least you'll have something pleasant to look back on."

"It's Snape, isn't it?" Sirius blurted out, the recent revelation by James suddenly coming back to him.

"Snape?" Ofelia was confused.

"_Snape_," Sirius repeated, his face revealing his disgust. "It's true, then. _Snivellus_ Snape is the person you're involved with at Hogwarts. You were seen whispering together in the Great Hall after dinner not long ago and you sat together today at the match, so clearly…."

To the wizard's great surprise, the blonde drew her wand and pointed it at his chest. "_Severus_ Snape is my friend, you idiot! He has been kind to me, which is more than I can say for some of the students at this school. He understands what it's like to … oh, never mind." She pulled back her wand and replaced it in the pockets of her robes.

Sirius absently rubbed the spot on his chest where the wand had been. "There's no need for violence, you know. My relationship with Snape goes back to our first year and there is a great deal about it – about him – that you don't know or understand. You can hardly expect to waltz in here and in the space of a week expect people to change their minds about him – just because he's your friend."

"That's as may be, but I am not involved with him," Ofelia said defensively.

"Perhaps we should agree not to talk about Snape," Sirius said, shoving his fists into the pockets of his robes. "You and I will never see eye to eye on that subject."

"Fine," Ofelia said finally.

"_Fine_," echoed Sirius. "Look, I don't know how any of this is going to get us what we want."

Ofelia hesitated. "I have an idea, but I'm not prepared to talk about it yet. When I've worked out a few things, will you help me with a plan?"

Sirius' eyes widened. "Yeah, but why…?"

"No questions," Ofelia stated firmly. "I'll make arrangements to meet with you as soon as I'm ready. Please. We must do this my way."

Sirius nodded. "Alright; we'll do it your way." He paused then leaned down to catch her eye. "Do you think your _'idea'_ will work?"

"I've no clue. There are too many unknowns right now. I promise I'll tell you everything as soon as they're resolved," Ofelia replied.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I hate secrets," he muttered.

Ofelia looked up at him curiously and Sirius saw something that looked a little too much like pity in her eyes. "What?" he asked defensively.

"Not all secrets are about you," she replied quietly.

Sirius took a deep breath, but Ofelia cut him off. "Are you going to continue your – er – _romantic conquests_?" She smiled as she waited for his answer.

"Don't you think that might not be the best way for me to work things out with Kate?" he countered.

"Perhaps not, but it might be very helpful in our current situation," Ofelia responded sincerely. "And, Sirius, remember, if Kate can be trusted, there's no reason you can't tell her that those conquests are meaningless."

"You sound a lot like my friends," he smiled sincerely. "They've been telling me something similar."

"Gryffindor, are they?"

"Of course."

Ofelia shivered. "Perish the thought. Can you imagine what my brother would say if he heard me being compared to Gryffindor?"

Sirius frowned. "I thought you didn't have House prejudices."

"I don't. Arturo, however, is a very proud Slytherin – in every way."

"Hmm; good to know," Sirius murmured. "Hey, can I ask you one question?"

"You can ask, but I can't promise I'll answer you."

"It's not about your plan. I just wondered why you went to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts. Didn't you get your letter?"

Ofelia was silent long enough to make Sirius think she wasn't going to answer him at all. Finally, she spoke. "My father did not want me exposed to certain elements here. He preferred that I attend Beauxbatons because he thought it was more refined." Sirius was surprised to see her frown.

"But he changed his mind."

"Yes, because of your parents. When they contacted him to discuss our arrangement and he and Mother decided to consider it, one of your Mother's conditions was that I transfer to Hogwarts to be with you." Ofelia's smile was sad.

"It must have been hard for you to leave your friends," Sirius said quietly.

"Very," she said. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"Yet you did it."

"I had no choice," Ofelia shrugged. "My father expected it of me because it was important for our family."

"I generally do exactly the opposite of what's important for my family," Sirius said.

At that, Ofelia smiled. "So I've been told. Something of a rebel, aren't you?"

"Always."

"We should get back," Ofelia glanced at her watch. "They will be serving dinner in fifteen minutes and I need to stop in my room before I go to the Great Hall. I don't want to be missed by my housemates."

"Merlin! I didn't realize it was that late," Sirius said walking toward the door, Ofelia next to him. "Hey, Ofelia," he said softly, putting his hand on her arm as they reached the door. "I'm glad we got the chance to talk. You're really not what I expected."

Ofelia laughed. "I'm pleased to hear it, I think. I'm also pleased to discover that there's much more to you than I was led to believe."

"There always is, Ofelia," the dark-haired wizard replied. "There always is." He opened the door for her and Sirius closed it firmly behind them. They had just begun their trek down the hall when the library door opened and Kate stepped out, struggling with the zipper of her book bag. Finally succeeding in closing it, she straightened and glanced to her left – only to see Sirius and Ofelia.

"Kate," Sirius breathed. "I was …"

"Excuse me," Kate said, glancing from Sirius to Ofelia to the corridor beyond. She knew that the only room in this particular corridor was an abandoned classroom. She and Lily had holed up in that room for an entire Saturday first term, trying to get a Potions essay completed without interruption from the Marauders. It had been long rumored to be one of Sirius' favorite trysting places. Apparently the rumor was true.

"Kate, wait," Sirius called as the girl turned on her heel and hurried down the hallway ahead of them.

"I don't think we have to worry about anyone seeing me talking with Kate," Sirius said softly. Not waiting for a response from the witch beside him, he took a step forward. "C'mon, we don't want to miss dinner."

Noting the slump of his shoulders, Ofelia silently followed.


	23. Explanations

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 23 – Explanations

A thin strip of moonlight slipped through the bed curtains and fell across the closed eyelids of the dozing wizard. In response to the intrusion, a long-fingered hand emerged from the cocoon of covers and brushed at the offending light. It was testimony to how lightly the boy slept. With a groan, Sirius reached up and drew the curtains more tightly together, then flopped back onto his pillows. After several turns, twists and attempts at resettling himself, Sirius realized he was no closer to sleep now than he had been when he'd retired for the night. Muttering a quiet surrender, Sirius rose, glancing at the clock next to the bed as he did so. Three o'clock in the morning. _Bloody hell! _At least it was Sunday; Sirius doubted if he could have handled going to classes and actually focusing once there. Mindful of the soft snores coming from the other inhabitants of the room, Sirius quietly gathered clean clothing and a pair of trainers and headed to the showers. Ten minutes later, he closed the dorm room door softly behind him and walked silently down the stairs. Desperate for the sleep that had eluded him since he had pulled the bed curtains closed around him, Sirius knew that he was unlikely to get any rest until he could clear his mind. Perhaps time spent in the solitude of the pre-dawn Common Room would give him the chance to do so.

It was not to be.

Sirius stepped from the last stair into the silent room, the orange glow of the blazing hearth reflecting from the stone walls. A soft gasp from the direction of the sofa caught his attention; as his gaze shifted, his eyes landed on a very surprised Kate Morgan. His heart in his throat, he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Please don't go."

Although she hadn't moved a muscle, Sirius approached her cautiously, as if Kate might jump up and sprint for the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Not quite daring to believe she would not do just that, he did not join her on the sofa; instead, he seated himself in an overstuffed chair a few feet away.

Kate remained silent. Once Sirius had settled into his seat, she turned her gaze to the hearth.

"I don't know where to start, but there's so much I want to say to you," Sirius said softly after several long moments had passed in silence. "So much I _need_ to say. I've spent so much time trying to get the words straight in my head so everything would come out the way I want it to and now, sitting here, I can't remember any of it."

"I can't understand why it's not coming to you," Kate said, her voice oddly strained. "The words can't be foreign; surely, you must have said them hundreds of times before. Perhaps I can help you." Kate's voice took on a monotone sound as she intoned, "'_I didn't make any promises; I didn't say I wouldn't see other girls. We had fun but it's time we started seeing other people'. _Isn't that the way it goes?" Throughout her comments, Kate's gaze hadn't wavered from the crackling fire.

"No. I wouldn't say those things to you."

"Your actions have said them clearly enough."

"I know. That's what I want to explain to you," Sirius said quietly, realizing all at once that he had clearly misjudged the difficulty of the task before him.

Kate turned to look at him and Sirius caught his breath at the hurt in her eyes. "You want to _explain_ your actions when I've just told you they delivered your message quite clearly – _and_ you acknowledged that I'm correct? You're either the most redundant person I've ever known," she rose, "or the cruelest."

Sirius stood with her. "Kate, please. This whole thing has been cruel, I'll agree with you there, but I want that to end right now. Please don't go before you hear me out. Please give me the chance to explain everything to you. It's not what you think."

"Really? Well, given the fact that I've _seen_ you and Ofelia Bullstrode together with my own eyes _and _the fact that I know you were … well, that you were _with_ that Delilah Hornsby creature since returning to the school, persuading me that these are unreliable rumors seems a bit out of reach for you," Kate replied, but she did retake her seat.

"I'm not going to try to convince you that those things aren't true. That would be a lie and I won't lie to you," Sirius said quietly, dropping back into the chair.

"So, you _were _with Delilah and Ofelia …," Kate's voice trailed off, her expression miserable.

Sirius nodded. "Yes, I was with Delilah, but only because I wanted Ofelia to see us."

Kate's eyes widened and her eyebrows rose. "You _wanted_ Ofelia to … why on _earth_ would you…?"

Sirius nervously placed his palms against the chair arms, using them as braces as he lifted his body up enough to fold his long legs beneath him. When he'd resettled, he leaned forward, clasping his hands in his lap. "See, I sort of ran into Delilah when I was on my way to the courtyard that day and at first, all I wanted to do was get away from her – but then, it occurred to me that no girl would want to see her fiancé snogging another witch, so I figured – hey, this is _brilliant_ – so I … what?"

Kate's face went white and her eyes glittered as she stared at the wizard. "Ofelia is your … _fiancée_?" Her voice sounded as if it was being dragged over glass.

"Oh," Sirius closed his eyes as he realized what had happened. Opening them, he found Kate still sitting there, staring back at him. "That's not the way I meant to tell you and it's not the whole …"

"_Silencio!_"

Sirius' hands flew to his throat as his voice simply – and quite suddenly – stopped. Both he and Kate turned in the direction of the voice and saw Remus standing on the bottom step of the dormitory stairs, his wand drawn and pointed at Sirius. "Calm down, Sirius," he said as the full impact of what had just happened hit the boy and his face colored in anger. "It's not permanent, after all." Remus replaced his wand in the pocket of his robes and stepped off the last stair into the room. He frowned when he caught sight of Kate's expression and ran his hand through his sleep-rumpled hair. Moving over to the sofa, he dropped onto the cushion at the opposite end. Sirius was staring at the werewolf, his expression incredulous as his mouth moved silently. Remus shook his head. "James heard you leave the dorm. He woke me and we decided to follow you. After what you told us about your afternoon, we reckoned that it couldn't hurt."

Remus yawned then turned as he caught movement from the corner of his eye.

"Please don't make me cast a _Full Body Bind_ on you, Kate," he said wearily as the young witch moved to stand. She remained seated. Footsteps sounded on the stairs and then,

"Everything under control, Remus?" James' voice greeted them as he, too, entered the room. Sirius rolled his eyes and huffed silently, crossing his arms over his chest.

"For the moment. Would you like to begin?" the werewolf asked his friend.

James nodded, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of the sofa. As he did so, he heard Kate take a breath to speak. James held up his hand. "You're the last person who should be silenced, Kate; you've been through enough already thanks to this git over here," he inclined his head in Sirius' direction, a movement that was not well received by the "git". "But what Sirius needs to say to you is too important for you not to listen. I'll cast _Silencio_ if you force me to, Kate; I won't like it – and I'll probably risk Lily's temper – but I'll do it. Right?"

Kate nodded her face still pale, her eyes too bright.

"Right," James said with a nod of his head. "_Merlin_, where to start?" He was quiet for a moment, then looked at Sirius and took a deep breath. "I'm just going to tell her straight out, mate, yeah?" Sirius searched James' hazel eyes and then, apparently finding what he sought, he nodded once.

James turned once again toward Kate. "When Sirius went home, things weren't … well, they weren't good. His parents are all about pureblooded superiority, preservation of the line and all that rot. Sirius here is a friend to half bloods, Muggle-born and blood traitors. He's also Gryffindor. He _also_ doesn't pull birds from Slytherin; pulls 'em from other Houses. Doesn't make for happy family dinner conversations. The Blacks decided to reacquaint Sirius with family tradition and invited the Bullstrodes over to dinner one night. They're second cousins on the Black side which, given how Purebloods inter-marry, is practically like being unrelated." James ran his fingers through his impossible hair and smiled grimly. "There have been no marriages between this particular branch of the two families and so, to honor an agreement made a long time ago, Sirius' mother and father announced that Ofelia and Sirius were engaged." James paused. "Sort of. Her parents made Ofelia leave Beauxbatons and transfer here so the two of them could get to know each other this year. Sirius is supposed to stop his wild, romantic ways and focus on getting to know his future bride. _Really_ focus, as in, _exclusively_. If he's seen with any other witches or, Merlin forbid – _Muggles_, there will be hell to pay. That meant you, too, Kate. Sirius was told, point blank, to have nothing to do with you." James paused, looking over at Sirius. The other boy was sitting as still as a statue, watching Kate intently. For her part, Kate was listening to James equally intently, her gaze fixed on his face.

"Remus, care to take it from here?"

Remus nodded. "Of course, none of this is acceptable and so, in an attempt to get out of the arranged marriage, Sirius devised what he thought to be a rather ingenious plan: instead of renouncing his wild ways, he'd 'up the ante' so to speak. He vowed to step up his _activities_ with the fairer sex, which wasn't as difficult as one might assume since much of Sirius' '_reputation_' is rather over-inflated, fueled as it is by innuendo and foolish rumors." Remus looked over at his friend to see Sirius mouth, "thank you," in his direction. He gave him a small smile before continuing. "Of course, the goal was to horrify Ofelia enough to make her run crying to her father who would, in turn, be compelled to dissolve the agreement with the Blacks. You, however, were a problem."

Kate frowned. "How…?" she stopped, looking up nervously at James who smiled and reached over to pat her hand.

"It's ok, Kate. Ask away. I won't hex you."

"You'd best _not_, James Potter," Lily stepped into the room, tying her Muggle bathrobe more securely around her. As she sat down next to Kate, Lily looked 'round the room before shrugging her shoulders. "I woke up and Kate was gone. She hasn't been having the easiest time of things since coming back so I went looking for her. I heard you all talking so I just waited on the stairs …,"

"_Eavesdropping_," James admonished. The others looked at the wizard in shock; it was the first time any of them had heard him speak to Lily in any way other than complete and total adoration.

Lily flushed to the roots of her equally red hair. "_No_! I just wanted to make sure Kate was alright before I went back to the dormitory. I would _never_…"

Kate reached over and squeezed her friend's hand. "It's alright, Lily. Really; I know you were just looking out for me." She turned to Remus. "Please, how do _I _enter into this?"

"Ofelia has a brother – 7th year Slytherin – who has been feeding stories about Sirius to their parents. They are aware that prior to the holidays, Sirius was spending a considerable amount of time with you – _exclusively_ with you. Of course, Arturo – that's the brother – wasn't the only … yes, Sirius?"

Kate, Remus and James looked over at Sirius, who had waved his hands to get Remus' attention. He pointed to his throat, mouthing, "My turn. Please."

Remus glanced at James, who nodded. Remus withdrew his wand from his pocket and pointed it at Sirius. "_Finite Incantatum". _

Sirius cleared his throat as he felt the spell lift. "Thanks, mate. Listen, could we have a bit of privacy now? I think I can get through the rest without bollixing it all up."

Lily's eyebrows rose. "But I just got here! Besides, how do we know that you _won't_ '_bollix it all up'_ … and hurt her again? How do we know you'll actually tell her the truth and not some version of it that will get you back into her good graces – until the _next_ pretty little witch turns your head?"

"That's a bit harsh, Lily," Remus' tone was quiet, but steely. "Whilst you were _'listening'_ on the stairs earlier, you surely heard me tell Kate that Sirius' reputation has been blown quite out of proportion."

Lily flushed but was not ready to let it go. "Delilah. Hornsby. Ofelia. Bullstrode. They are not rumors, Remus; they are _fact_. And if you leave him alone with her, Sirius will concoct something to excuse his behavior and redeem …"

Sirius' face fell as he listened to Lily. _I haven't given you much reason to trust me, have I, Katie? That ends now. _He rose and walked the short distance to where Kate sat. He knelt down in front of her and looked into her eyes. "I have never told you a lie to make myself look better; in fact, before Remus and James came down to shut me up, I did quite a bad job of looking like anything other than a great, sodding _prat_. Lie to you? No. Never. Not like _she_ says. But I'd like to explain why I've been acting like I have been – if you'll let me. And when I'm finished, if you still want nothing to do with me, I'll leave you alone. I promise. I just hope…" Sirius paused and shook his head slightly. "Not about do you say, Katie? Are you game?"

Kate looked around at the others: the concerned looks on the faces of James and Remus, indignation mixed with concern on Lily's and finally, returning her gaze to the boy in front of her, the sincerity she found in Sirius' eyes. She nodded. "I'm game."

Remus rose, taking Lily's arm as he did so. "Lily, why don't you go upstairs and dress and then the three of us will go down to the Great Hall and wait for breakfast? Perhaps we can convince the house elves to bring some coffee, yes?"

"I don't like this, Kate," Lily said, rising. She tapped Sirius' shoulder as she passed him. The wizard rose and turned to face her; Lily leaned forward and motioned him to do the same. When Sirius leaned down, Lily spoke quietly enough that only he could hear. "If you lie or otherwise hurt Kate, know this: when I find out what you've done, I will hunt you down and hex your bits off. Understand?"

Sirius' eyes widened and he nodded. As Lily started to move away, he caught her arm lightly and spoke in a voice that was as quiet as her own had been. "You've made it really obvious how you feel about me, ok? I haven't missed a bit of it. I _know_ I'm not perfect, Evans – I grew up knowing that; and I already know I'm not nearly good enough for Kate. I don't need you reminding me, ok? But one thing I'd like _you_ to remember: even though I'll never _be _perfect, I'm not the lying, sack-of-shit _monster_ you seem to think that I am, ok? And I don't need you trying to convince Kate of it, either."

Lily snatched her arm from his grasp. "No, you can manage that quite well _without _my help, as you've so recently proven."

Sirius stepped back to allow the redhead to pass and watched as she crossed the Common Room. As he looked away from her retreating back, his glance fell on James' face; clearly, he'd observed – if not heard – the entire exchange between them. The bespectacled wizard's eyes were sympathetic. "Ok, Padfoot?" he mouthed, the ghost of a frown touching his lips. Sirius nodded shortly. "Go," he mouthed back.

Sirius waited until he heard Lily's footsteps on the stone staircase then turned and took Remus' former seat on the sofa. As the trio made their way through the portrait hole – and Lily cast one last backward glance at Kate – Sirius sat silently, considering all that remained to be said to the witch seated beside him.

XXXXXXXX

The portrait closed behind them and the three Gryffindors began the walk to the Great Hall. James fell in step with Remus; Lily's anger propelled her to walk a bit ahead of them and James did nothing to call her back. He knew from the rigidity of her posture and brisk pace that conversation was pointless.

Remus nudged him and inclined his head toward their companion. James shrugged and leaned toward his friend. "We'll let her walk off her mad," he whispered. "She might be ready to talk once we've sat down. I've got something to say that she needs to hear." Remus looked at him curiously, but said nothing. As they walked the last of the distance to the Hall, Remus found himself wondering which would be the more interesting conversation: the one taking place in the Common Room or the more unexpected confrontation that seemed destined to occur over breakfast.

XXXXXXXX

"Thanks," Sirius said quietly.

Kate nodded. "Go on, then."

"Ofelia's brother isn't the only one who's been telling my dear parents all about my activities at school. As you've seen for yourself, my cousins and I do not share a warm and loving relationship. They have been the source of some of the information, as well. My parents are not happy that you and I were … well, seeing each other," Sirius paused. "Does your family know mine or something? Only, I've never heard your name mentioned at all before I met you; but it came up over the holidays."

Kate felt a chill go through her as she recalled the stories her mother had shared. She shook her head. "I think they might have met once or twice. My mother was born and raised in England and my father moved to London when he and my mother married. Why? What did they say?"

_Definitely not the time to be throwing comments like "coward" and "idiot" into the conversation_, Sirius thought, cursing his inability to suppress his random thoughts and resolving to put this part of the conversation off until another time. He shook his head. "Nothing you wouldn't expect from them. You're not good enough for the Black family – you know the speech." Kate didn't look convinced and Sirius sighed. "Look, I don't want to talk about what my parents think, ok? If Salazar Slytherin's mother rose from the dead and landed in the middle of Grimmauld Place, they'd find fault with _her_, I swear it! Why does it matter what they said?"

Kate considered his words but soon nodded. _There's no justice in holding this secret against him given the magnitude of her own confidences._ "You're right, of course. You were saying?"

"It bothered me that they would single you out, Kate, so I wanted to come up with a plan that would get me out of this bloody engagement while making you stay as far away from me as possible. I figured that if you didn't hate me, Ofelia would think it was all an act and she wouldn't fall for it."

"So, Ofelia knows about me."

"Yes, actually. In fact, I don't think she thought much of my plan, either," Sirius said thoughtfully as he remembered his conversation with the girl the previous afternoon. "At least the part where I ignore you completely, pretend to shag every witch who would have me and make sure it gets back to you both." Sirius looked down at his hands for a long while before speaking again. "I was so … desperate, Katie; so stupid. I figured that once it all blew over I could explain everything and you'd be ok."

"Sirius, why didn't you just _tell _me? Send me an owl when you found out about this arranged marriage? If you didn't want to risk sending it to me from home, you could have owled once you returned to school," Kate asked him. "I could have pretended to be angry with you, you know; I could have been convincing."

Sirius lifted his head and Kate was struck by the sadness on his face. "I couldn't tell you, Kate. I couldn't send an owl from London; I was afraid they'd find out somehow. When I got back here, I … well, I couldn't do much right away. And, don't forget, by then, I'd come up with this bloody great _plan_ of mine. I'm so sorry, Katie. Sorrier than you know."

Kate was silent as she considered all that she'd heard – and pondered what had not been said. Although she'd only known Sirius since the beginning of the school year, Kate had already figured out that the young wizard did not think things through when confronted with unexpected conflict. He was driven by emotion and a strong sense of self-preservation. As bizarre as it may seem to everyone else, Kate thought she understood his logic – or lack thereof. She just didn't understand what had triggered it. She remembered how he had behaved just before the holiday and all of the things he had said – and she had seen – about his family and home. There had to have been a connection.

"Kate?" Sirius' voice and expression were concerned.

"Sirius, what happened over the holiday?"

"What?"

"What happened to you at home? Over the holidays?" Kate pressed.

"Kate, I've told you what happened. My parents called in their chips with the Bullstrodes; the Bullstrodes threw in with my parents. Ofelia and I are supposed to be married. I thought you'd been paying attention," Sirius jumped up from his seat and began to pace in front of the sofa.

Kate shook her head and sighed lightly. "I _was _paying attention; more than you probably realize. Sirius, come here – please. Sit back down."

Once he had done so, Kate turned to face him. "Look, you want me to believe that your fiancée means nothing to you, right?"

"She doesn't, Katie. I don't …"

"And that Delilah Hornsby is a means to an end?"

Sirius frowned. "Yeah, but Katie, I don't…"

"But you didn't trust me enough to tell me all of that up front. And you _don't_ trust me enough to tell me everything now. Somehow, that doesn't seem quite fair to me," Kate finished.

Sirius sighed and ran a shaky hand through his hair. He looked at Kate and nodded. "You're right. I'm asking you to trust me again; to believe all this bloody craziness. It's just that … Katie, it's not easy …" his voice trailed off and Sirius suddenly found that he couldn't look at her. This was a topic he never intended to share. The events of the holiday at home were just the tip of the iceberg. There had been other incidents; other "consequences" meted out at his mother's whim. His brain whirred with disjointed memories that were created long before he came to Hogwarts. How could he tell her these things? What would she think of him after hearing them?

Kate watched him silently, then reached over and stilled his fidgeting hands. "Trust me. I promise I won't judge you – whatever it is; I promise I won't say anything until you've finished. Please. Tell me."

Sirius looked at her intently. After a few moments, he took a deep breath. For the next thirty minutes, he shared with her the secrets had had never told anyone – not Remus; not even James. And although he edited, leaving out the episodes he couldn't bear to recall let alone recount, he, himself felt the original pain again. And a piece of him wondered how the witch before him could still want anything to do with him now that she knew the darkness that his life contained.

For her part, Kate could only hope that the horror that she felt did not show in her face as she listened to Sirius. So much of his behavior made sense to her now. Had she been in his place, Kate knew she would move mountains to make sure she didn't lose whatever normalcy she had in her life away from her home. The glimpses of the Blacks shared by Felicity filtered back to Kate as well and she realized anew that Sirius' family was nothing to be trifled with. If they would do this to their _son_, it would appear that their capacity for cruelty knew no bounds. No wonder Sirius' behavior was so unpredictable. But how much of _that_ could she handle? But then her eyes went back to Sirius, still speaking softly – his nerves clearly reflected in his eyes. In that moment she knew. Even though it would take time for the sting of the past week to completely subside, Kate knew that her feelings for Sirius had not changed. While she would undoubtedly be more cautious about revealing those feelings, at least in the short term, Kate knew they would not change. Suddenly, Kate became aware that the room had gone very quiet and she looked up to see Sirius looking over at her.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in this; I'm sorry for hurting you," he said softly.

"I know," she replied. "I think I understand why it happened, though. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

Sirius nodded. "Am I forgiven? Or is it too soon for that?"

Kate shook her head. "I'll be honest with you; this past week really hurt. I don't want to go through anything like that again."

Sirius nodded and began to rise. "I understand. You know, James and Remus tried to tell me this would happen if I kept acting like a bloody git, but I knew everything. I _am _sorry, Katie. I wish I could take it back, but I can't. I deserve what I get."

Kate reached out and caught his hand. "Sirius, wait. I'm not saying I don't forgive you. That would be cruel – and untrue – because I do accept your apology. I _do _forgive you. It's just…"

"…hard to forget the hurt."

"Yes," Kate agreed, her voice a bit sad. "But it doesn't mean that I won't. Or that I don't care for you."

Sirius gave her the first sincere smile she'd seen all evening. "Yeah? Really? Even after all the shite I've put you through this week?" His smile slid from his face. "Even after you heard about my family?"

Kate squeezed his hand. "You can't control your family. And, yes, I still care about you – even after this week. It's just going to take awhile to get back to normal."

"Take all the time you need, Kate," Sirius said, returning the pressure on her hand. "But there is one thing we have to figure out. "

"Ofelia and your parents."

"Ofelia and my parents. And Arturo. And Regulus," Sirius amended.

Kate stood. "Do you think it's still early enough to risk joining the others for breakfast without being seen by the Slytherins?"

Sirius nodded. "It's just five. I think we're safe. If not…"

"… I'll sit by myself and help save your reputation as a prat. Deal?"

"Deal," Sirius replied as they walked toward the portrait hole. As they reached the door, Sirius stopped. "Thank you, Kate. I promise that I'll tell you the truth from now on. I won't hide things from you again."

Kate smiled again. "Let's go meet James, Remus and Lily. Perhaps we can come up with a better plan over breakfast."


	24. Revelations & Aftereffects

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter.

Chapter 24 – Revelations & Aftereffects

When the trio of Remus, James and Lily reached the Great Hall, they were unsurprised to find that they were the only occupants. As they crossed the threshold of the cavernous room, the torches in the ancient wall sconces brightened. In the enhanced illumination, the three friends easily made their way to the Gryffindor table, settling into their usual places. Moments later, the little house elf, Puggins, appeared at Remus' elbow.

"You is wanting coffee, Master Remus?" she asked, batting her eyes adoringly at the young werewolf. James rolled his eyes skyward, having witnessed variations on this particular performance in the past. This was Lily's first opportunity to see it, however, and she watched the exchange with amused interest.

"Lily? James?" Remus asked his companions, pointedly ignoring James and looking instead at Lily.

Accepting the offer of coffee and smiling at Puggins' promise of a "surprise" as well, the friends fell to their own thoughts as they waited for the house elf to return. When she did, with a large pot of coffee, creamers and sugar, the students were grateful to also see a tray of what the house elf called, "morning snacks" as well. Heaped high on a large platter was an array that included steaming almond cream croissant, fresh blackberry scones and, separately, a plate of plain bagels with rich, creamy peanut butter in a lovely porcelain bowl. The latter, Puggins placed directly in front of Remus, patting his arm affectionately then turning and briskly trotting back to the kitchens.

James snorted as he reached for a scone. "You've definitely got an admirer, Remus."

Remus shook his head. He couldn't tell James the origin of this particular treat with Lily sitting there. But it had firmly cemented his affection for the little house elf. After a particularly awful full moon during his second year, Remus had found himself in the hospital wing for several days. Comfort food had always helped speed his recovery and his mother, knowing his particular fondness for Muggle-baked bagels, kept a steady supply delivered to him at school. She also sent jars of peanut butter that not only satisfied the young wizard's addiction to it, but also kept up his protein levels. His supply, however, had been depleted and due to a bout of flu, his mother had been unable to travel to London to restock. The house elf had come to the hospital wing with Poppy's breakfast, as the healer would not leave the young werewolf on his own after such a traumatic night. When Puggins asked about breakfast for Remus when he awakened, Poppy had explained Remus' preference and how he was waiting for his next package from home. No one ever knew how she'd done it, but the elf had managed to find a way to stock both items in the kitchen from that point forward. Remus was grateful as it saved his mother time and money.

Slathering peanut butter on one half of a warm bagel, Remus simply nodded and smiled at his friend.

"Jealous, Potter?" Lily asked, adding cream to her coffee.

"Desperately. Can't think how I'll go on," he replied. Stirring his own coffee, James turned in Lily's direction and added, "You've an exceptionally sharp tongue this morning, Lily. Not particularly attractive – which is definitely not in keeping with the rest of you." He smiled and hurriedly looked back at his own plate.

Remus noticed a slight tremble to the other boy's hand and, judging by the color now suffusing Lily's face, his nerves were well founded.

"How dare – what do you mean by," Lily sputtered, then paused to gather herself before continuing. "Just because the rest of you seem completely enthralled by the great Sirius Black doesn't mean that I have to join you. He's cruel, arrogant and completely self-involved. He'll sleep with anything that moves and now he wants to add Kate to his long list of conquests. He's done nothing but hurt her and he's proven that he'll use anyone to get what he wants. Sirius took up with Delilah Hornsby as part of a plan to end a forced engagement to another witch – if there even is an engagement at all. How long before he uses one of you as the means to an end? To get to someone? To get something he wants? No one calls him on his behavior, certainly not either of you. He doesn't understand what it feels like for the other person; what it's like to feel the kind of pain his words and actions cause."

James took a deep breath, spared Remus a brief glance and prepared himself for the full brunt of the redhead's considerable wrath. "Lily, I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen to me. No," he held up his hand when she prepared to interrupt him. "I listened to you, and despite the fact that you said some bloody awful things about my best mate, I kept my mouth shut. Now, I'm going to ask you to be just as honorable while I have my say. You can say whatever you'd like when I'm finished. Are we agreed?" Lily gave him a curt nod and James went on. "We have no illusions about Sirius. We know that he can be an arrogant prat and that he doesn't always come up with the most brilliant of plans – when people he loves are involved. I can appreciate how from your perspective he can appear cruel and self-involved, but you don't know him as we do. You don't know the reasons behind some of the things he does. We do. But the details belong to Sirius, not to us; the story is his to share. While I won't betray his confidences, I will give you enough of a picture that you will hopefully have a better point of view of him. But before I go on, you must promise me that you will not repeat anything I'm about to say to you. If you can't do that, this conversation is over. Do you promise?"

As Lily listened to James speak, her eyes never left his face and gradually, her expression changed. Her anger receded somewhat and a look of curiosity settled in its place. There was another emotion – surprise – that registered in her green eyes. Remus had been watching her closely and knew that Lily was seeing James in an entirely different light. This was not the slaphappy, immature, lovesick Marauder, trying everything he could think of to ensnare the fair Miss Evans. This was a quiet, determined young man, defending one of his best friends and flirting dangerously with breaking a confidence in order to spare that friend further verbal assaults by the young witch. Lily's perspective of more than one wizard may change this morning, Remus mused.

"I promise," Lily said quietly. "Go on."

With another, longer look at Remus, James nodded once and resumed speaking. "You've not had a lot of experience with Purebloods, have you?" Lily shook her head. "Of course, there's me, but my family is not what I'm talking about. There's a whole segment of Purebloods who embrace the more dark side of our world: old traditions, ancient magic – dark ancient magic – and the unshakeable belief that their blood is more pure than anyone else's. They despise Muggles and Muggle-born. They don't take kindly to their offspring rebelling against their beliefs, either. To retain their superiority, this lot tends to marry within their own families – cousins and the like. The Blacks are one of those families. Sirius is an offspring who rebels – often. He was sorted into Gryffindor, which should give you some idea; the balance of the Dark Purebloods is in Slytherin, as you know. Perhaps the reason I really resent your reference to Sirius as 'cruel' is because I've met his mother – a woman who defines the term," James' voice turned bitter. "I can assure you that Sirius fails to meet the family standard in this area – as they feel he fails to meet so many others. Lily, you have no idea what Sirius suffers at the hands of that woman – or at her wand. I will not go into detail save to tell you that it is abuse – pure and simple. And the abuse extends to both the verbal and the physical types." Lily's soft gasp was the only sound as both she and Remus pictured the young man in question and considered his life away from Hogwarts – the life of which he seldom spoke, and never in any detail. "You should have a vague notion of how his family feels about him; you were privy to that lovely little demonstration in Hogsmeade with his cousins and Malfoy. If his ideas are half-arsed, it might be because he's so bloody scared that he'll lose somebody who might actually care about him – and there are precious few of them in his life. If it seemed that he was running around with a couple of birds at school, it just might have been because he needed to do it for something more than …" James blushed, but bravely carried on. "… more than the usual reasons. And, apart from Delilah, he hasn't done that in a very long time, has he? Not since Kate. He's no more monster than we are. And he does know how it feels to be hurt by the people who are supposed to care about him – and by people who say they do but only lie for their own purposes. He would never lie to make things easier for himself, Lily. He was right when he said that. I think we can all agree that based on this bloody stupid plan of his, Sirius doesn't really know how to make things easier for himself; he doesn't think about doing that. Never has, actually; too Slytherin for him. Maybe that's part of why he was sorted into Gryffindor." James sighed and ran his hand through his already impossibly unruly hair. "I'm done. I won't say anything more." He looked up at Lily, stunned to see that her face had paled and her expression was no longer hard or unyielding. "You promised, Lils. Remember that. You can't say a word to anyone. And you can't let on to Sirius that you know anything. He has few enough people who've earned and deserve his trust; I'd like to continue to be one of them. And, of course, there's the fact that he'd have my guts for garters if he found out."

"I won't say a word," Lily said softly. She played with her spoon distractedly.

Remus pulled out his wand and tapped their mugs and immediately steam rose from the beverages they contained. Each of the friends lapsed into silence as they sipped their coffee.

Lily's brow furrowed as she thought of all she'd heard. I'm luckier than Black is, she thought to herself. At least I have Mum and Dad; always have, actually. Even before anyone knew why I could do the things I could do. They didn't make me feel like a freak or something to be hidden away or hated. Petunia, on the other hand…Lily closed her eyes, remembering surreptitious pinches and hair-pulls suffered at the hands of her older, non-magical sister. Petunia was fine when others – particularly their parents – were about, but once alone, the verbal torrent of insult that streamed from her lips went straight to the core of every insecurity Lily held. It was Petunia's derisiveness, coupled with Lily's own ambition that drove the red-haired witch to be at the top of her class at Hogwarts. Lily shook her head, suddenly seeing her behavior toward Sirius in an entirely different light. And I can't let on that I know anything about what James has told me, so I can't apologize for anything I've said to him. She sighed. Maybe there will be an opportunity – later, at some point when James' confidence won't be compromised.

Lily looked over at the dark-haired wizard seated next to her, watching him as he, too, seemed lost in his own thoughts. She might have her own insecurities, but she wasn't stupid; Lily knew that James fancied her – perhaps more than fancied her. While she had to admit, he was attractive, it was hard for her to take him seriously when he never rose to the challenge of her temper or … as much as she hated to admit it … her poor behavior toward his friends. But that had obviously changed, she mused. From calling her eavesdropping what it was to telling her off – albeit quietly – for her treatment of Sirius, James had clearly matured. He risked her wrath and made no compliment of it. It certainly deserved some consideration; it deserved respect. She groaned inwardly – although it was only half-hearted. What is the world coming to? I'm thinking about 'respect' and 'James Potter' in the same thought. She smiled, remembering the Quidditch match the day before. Admit it, Lily; you're hooked; well and truly hooked. But it would never do to change her stripes all at once. No, she concluded. You may have won the war, James Potter, but it will be a very gradual surrender.

XXXXXXXX

"This is the strangest thing I've ever experienced," Kate whispered to what appeared to be the empty space beside her.

"If that's true, then you've led a really sheltered life," came an amused voice from said empty space.

Kate glanced to her right as they stepped down from the staircase and moved toward the entrance to the Great Hall. When Sirius had run back to the dorm for 'a guaranteed disguise', Kate had not been expecting to see him return with an Invisibility Cloak. As he had explained, if they encountered students other than James, Lily and Remus on the way to the Great Hall, it would make no difference where Kate sat for breakfast. They would have already been seen together. Sirius had the brainstorm to grab James' Invisibility Cloak and cover himself on the trip downstairs. If they got to the Hall and found their friends to be the only occupants, Sirius would reveal himself and hide the Invisibility Cloak. Standing before Kate in the Common Room, Sirius had draped the cloak around himself, creating the eerie image of his disembodied head floating in the air. At her gasp, he had smiled and properly donned the garment, completely disappearing beneath it.

"Amazing," Kate had breathed. "I'm almost afraid to think of what you lot get up to with this." She could fairly hear Sirius' smile beneath the cloak.

"As well you should be."

Arriving at the Great Hall, the two students peered inside and were relieved to see their friends – alone – at the Gryffindor table. Kate felt a rush of cool air and heard the soft swoosh that meant Sirius had removed the cloak.

"I think we're safe," he said quietly and the two entered the Hall and made their way down the long table to where Lily, James and Remus were seated. To be completely safe, Kate went round to the other side and sat next to Lily; far enough away from Sirius to maintain a façade of separation if other students wandered in.

Almost simultaneous to their arrival, two coffee mugs magically appeared before them.

"Lovely," Kate said, holding her cup out for Remus to fill. "Thank you."

"Are you alright?" Lily asked Kate, her eyes firmly fixed on her friend. She wasn't sure she could look at Sirius right now without giving away her jumbled thoughts and feelings.

"I'm fine," Kate assured her. "What did we miss?"

Remus glanced at James and Lily. "Oh, not much. A bit of clarification, perhaps. Nothing too…" he trailed off, glancing at Sirius who raised his eyebrows in silent question.

"Detailed," James finished for him.

At that, Sirius relaxed. "Kate knows about … things," he leaned over the table. "She thinks that the five of us might be able to work out a way to deal with this situation."

The group turned to look at Kate, who flushed under the attention. "I just think that together we should be able to come up with a plausible way of making the engagement go away."

Lily put her hand on Kate's arm. "What are you proposing?"

"I haven't come up with anything close to a proposal, Lily. I do have some questions, though." Kate turned to Sirius. "You mentioned that you'd had a conversation with Ofelia. I'm assuming it took place yesterday afternoon, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah; just before we saw you in the hallway. Why?"

"Well, it just seems to me that if she was willing to sit down and speak with you about something neither of you wants, she might be willing to meet with the rest of us to combine strategies. After all, this means something to her, as well. Do you think she might agree?"

Before Sirius could answer, James shook his head. "It's awfully risky, Kate. Blimey, we don't even know her. And, she's in thick with Snape, who's best mates with Malfoy, who's a little too close to Sirius' family. I don't know, mate. This could go pear shaped pretty damned fast, if you ask me."

"James is right, Sirius," Remus agreed. "You don't know this girl very well at all. Her affiliations are already suspect: your family, her brother – in addition to Snape and Malfoy. It could end badly for you at home."

Sirius quietly listened to the comments around him, remembering the sincerity in Ofelia's eyes as she spoke of Kate, and of her own determination to thwart their families' plans. He thought, too, of what she left unsaid; of her own reasons for doing so. Sirius may have had his faults, but he had a fair talent for assessing character; he thought he'd read Ofelia correctly.

"Remus, I can't imagine a situation that wouldn't 'end badly for me at home'," Sirius said dryly. "Ofelia's not what I expected. There's more to her than meets the eye. I think we should give it a try. I know, Jamie," he paused as James snorted his disbelief. "Look, if nothing else, she is in Slytherin and is close to most of the people we have to worry about … well, more to the point, the people I have to worry about."

"The people we have to worry about," Kate corrected, catching his eye.

Sirius smiled, visibly relaxing. "When Ofelia and I talked, she made it very clear that she did not want this engagement any more than I do. She said she was working on a plan but didn't want to share much about it. I think it's worth a try."

"We'll have to find a place to meet where we won't be seen," Kate said. "We can't afford to have someone barging in and reporting us to Sirius' cousins."

Remus cleared his throat. "I might have just the place," he offered. "I can think of at least one project it's helped the Marauders complete."

James and Sirius looked at each other and smiled. "The Room of Requirement," James said. "Brilliant, Remus! Now, all we need to do is decide when we'll get everyone together."

"No time like the present, Jamie," Sirius responded. "I'll catch Ofelia after breakfast and sound her out. If she's in, we'll pick a time and I'll come and find you lot. Agreed?"

"Agreed," they all chorused.

Finally able to put his nerves aside to eat, Sirius reached over Remus for a croissant.

Eyeing Lily as he took a bite of the pastry, Sirius chewed thoughtfully for a moment.

"You're quiet, Evans," he said, taking another bite. "Lost your taste for my jugular, have you?"

Lily looked up at him then away again, quickly. "I guess I've spoken my mind already. Kate, people are starting to come to breakfast; we should probably move to the other end of the table before the Slytherins arrive." With that, she rose with her cup and walked briskly to a seat a good distance away from the Marauders.

"She's right," Kate said quietly. "I'll go join Lily for breakfast. We'll catch up in the Common Room after you've spoken with Ofelia, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "Thanks, Katie – for everything."

With a smile, Kate picked up her own mug and went to join her friend.

"I'll be glad when she doesn't have to do that anymore," Sirius muttered to his friends.

James nodded. "Listen, Padfoot, I know Lily was pretty rough on you earlier, but I have a feeling that she might be a little less judgmental in future." He rose but leaned downward to Sirius before leaving. "Do me a favor and cut her some slack 'til she proves me wrong, yeah?"

Sirius considered the request – and all that James had done for him, especially over the past two weeks. "Yeah, Jamie," he replied. "Anything for you, mate."

"Thanks. I'm going to grab a shower. I'll see you two upstairs later."

Remus and Sirius watched the other boy walk the length of the table, slowing down to give Lily's hair a gentle tug as he passed behind her.

"Our little Prongs is growing up," Sirius said, amusement in his voice.

"He's not the only one," Remus poured more coffee into his mug. "You've obviously handled your conversation with Kate with at least some degree of maturity. She looks to be in a much better frame of mind this morning."

"It's not going to fix itself overnight, though, Moony. I hurt her and now I've got to earn her trust again. I promised that I wouldn't hide things from her again and I'm going to keep that promise." Sirius fidgeted with his hands for a few moments, worrying a bit of rough cuticle before forcing himself to still. "I told Kate some of the shite about my family. She didn't run screaming from the room. Said that she could understand some of what I did after hearing it."

"You couldn't have honestly expected Kate to run away from you, Pads; she cares for you very much – too much to do that," Remus said quietly.

"She said something like that to me. She said that she forgave me and that she did care for me, but that it didn't take away the sting of what I did," Sirius looked up at his friend. "I really want to take that away; I'm going to take it away."

Remus smiled. "I know that you will. I think that confiding in her as you did probably made a good start. I'm glad, Sirius."

"Hmm. I just have to make sure my family doesn't catch on. I have this nagging feeling that Kate isn't entirely safe from them," the boy's expression grew dark.

"Have they threatened her?"

"Not in so many words, but my mother referred to her father as a 'coward' and her mother an 'idiot'. Said Kate had 'questionable family loyalties'. I've seen where comments like those can lead."

"One of the reasons your conversation with Ofelia is so important." Remus lifted his chin in the direction of the doorway. The topic of conversation was walking through the doorway – alone, for once. "Maybe that's a sign," the werewolf smiled.

"Moony, you know I don't believe in Divination," Sirius rose. "But this certainly does seem like an opportune moment to have a word with my fiancée, doesn't it?"

Sirius walked toward the door to the Hall, catching Kate's smile as he passed where she was seated. Feeling a warm sense of relief settle over him, the young wizard intercepted Ofelia as she started toward the Slytherin table.

"Good morning," he said. "Might I have a word?"

Ofelia nodded, her expression quizzical. "Shall we step outside?" As she asked, her glance slid over to the Gryffindor table.

"No need; here is fine," Sirius' voice dropped. "Listen, I took your advice and told Kate the truth."

Ofelia's eyes widened. "All of it? Is everything alright?"

"Yes – well, 'yes' to the first question and 'I think there's potential' to the second. How's that? Kate's come up with a very interesting suggestion – one that involves you." Sirius drew a deep breath. "She thinks we might be more successful breaking our engagement if we all worked up a strategy together. I did not give any detail – actually, you didn't give me much anyway – but I told her that you were working on something by yourself. Kate said that perhaps you might be willing to work with us instead of independently. You don't have to divulge anything you don't want to," he added hastily, noting that Ofelia's face had begun to close. "But we might be able to do a better job of it if we all worked together. What do you say?"

Ofelia looked beyond Sirius to where Remus, Kate and Lily were doing a very poor job of pretending they weren't watching the two of them. Noting the absence of any open hostility, Ofelia made up her mind.

"Yes," she said.

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise. "Yes? Really?"

Ofelia nodded. "Really. But, Sirius, what I said to you yesterday still holds. I will not discuss certain aspects of my decision."

"Understood. No one will expect it of you. And if someone does overstep, I'll be there to take care of it." Sirius thought of James and his overall lack of trust of the young witch standing before him.

Ofelia exhaled slowly. "Thank you. When shall we meet, then?"

Sirius thought for a moment. "This afternoon, right after lunch, so – what, 2 pm? Meet me in front of the statue of Millicent the Morose in the far end of the 5th floor corridor."

"2 pm, 5th floor, Millicent the Morose. I'll be there," Ofelia confirmed. "I must go." She looked behind Sirius where Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape stood.

"Ah, the lovebirds," Lucius murmured, stepping to Ofelia's side. "Enjoying a cozy breakfast for two, are we?"

Sirius did not miss Ofelia's slight shift away from the unctuous wizard, whose proximity to her exceeded the boundaries of acceptability. He recalled Ofelia's comments from their earlier conversation and his eyes narrowed.

"Unfortunately, I have already eaten," Ofelia lied smoothly. "Regrettably, we were unclear in our communications last evening, Sirius. Perhaps we can spend time together later today?"

Sirius smiled. "Of course. I'll look for you later, then."

"If you gentlemen will excuse me," Ofelia stepped away from the three wizards and through the doorway through which she had so recently entered.

"Pity," Malfoy murmured quietly. "A most pleasant breakfast opportunity lost."

"She's taken, Malfoy," Sirius said, his voice low. "You would do well to remember that. Or perhaps my dear cousin, Narcissa, would be interested in hearing how easily you can shift from one blonde witch to the next."

Malfoy's hand shot to his pocket and, Sirius was certain, the wand that rested there. Severus put his hand on the tall wizard's arm before he could react. "He's not worth it, Lucius. Why penalize our House with a certain loss of points over this pathetic little Gryffindor? There will be other opportunities, I'm certain, where the risk will be less pronounced."

Malfoy maintained his position for a few moments longer before shaking off Severus arm and striding angrily to the Slytherin table.

Sirius, himself, was seething over Snape's words. "You'd best watch yourself, as well, Snivellus," he gritted out. "Else you just might discover what 'this pathetic little Gryffindor' is capable of doing to you!" As he turned to leave the Hall, he felt Severus' grab his robes.

"Don't promise what you are incapable of delivering, Black. I know spells and hexes that would have you writhing on the ground in agony, longing for the ability to draw enough breath to beg me for mercy. It would be my pleasure to demonstrate them," Snape's deep baritone voice vibrated with hatred and Sirius had no doubt that the Slytherin wizard desired little else than to make real his threats.

"You'll never hear me beg you for anything, Snape. And, as far as Dark Magic is concerned, you would do well to remember that I'm a Black. I assure you that your spells and hexes are nothing compared to the teachings from my childhood. And it would be my pleasure to take you on a little trip down memory lane, if you're ever dimwitted enough to try anything with me!" Sirius looked down with disgust at his robes clutched in Snape's hand. "Turn me loose. Now!"

Severus' eye twitched dangerously but he released the Gryffindor's robes, spun on his heel and left Sirius standing there, breathing heavily. With the barest of glances toward where Kate and the others were seated, Sirius left the Hall, intent on putting as much distance between himself and Severus Snape as humanly possible. As he crossed the entryway, Sirius started for the staircase before abruptly changing his mind and heading, instead, for the huge oak front doors. A walk around the lake always calms me down, he thought.

As the cool air hit his flushed face, Sirius knew that he would need to keep his emotions well under control if the strategy he hoped they came up with later was to have a chance of succeeding.


	25. Strategies Developed

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 25 – Strategies Developed

At precisely 2 o'clock, Ofelia walked up to the designated location to find Sirius lounging against the wall, waiting. Glancing at the stone wall behind him, Ofelia raised her eyebrows in question.

"Here I am, as promised, but where …?"

Sirius smiled and held up his hand. "Wait for it." With that, he closed his eyes and paced up and back three times before a small measure of solid wall. Then, he turned and faced the wall as a large doorway etched itself into the ancient stone surface. Grasping the brass handle that had also appeared, the dark-haired wizard grinned at the astounded girl and pushed against the metal fixture.

"After you," he said, standing aside to allow Ofelia to enter. After a moment's hesitation, she walked toward him, relaxing a bit as Sirius murmured, "It's alright. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Ofelia gave him a small smile and crossed the threshold.

As the door thudded closed behind them, Sirius took Ofelia's elbow and urged her forward, "Come on, then."

In the center of the room was a large, oval table around which sat three wizards and two witches: Sirius' friends. All but one face was familiar to her; the short, round, sandy-haired wizard had not been present at breakfast that morning.

A roaring fire burned in the hearth behind the table, on which were piled rolls of parchment, a collection of inkbottles and a large supply of quills.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirement," Sirius said quietly. "Just pace three times in front of the wall and repeat what you most need with each pass you make. Open your eyes and the door appears. Behind it, the Room, with all you need to fulfill your purpose."

"How remarkable," Ofelia replied, gazing 'round her.

"Hmm. Oi, you lot," Sirius greeted the group before him, raising his voice slightly. His words were hardly necessary, as each of the room's occupants had been watching the newcomers, their faces openly curious.

"This is Ofelia Bullstrode," he continued – also unnecessarily – as he looked at his friends. "Introduce yourselves while we get situated."

Each of the Gryffindors stood to introduce themselves and shake Ofelia's hand. She learned that the rather lumpy boy was Peter Pettigrew, Sirius' fourth dorm mate and friend. When at last it was Kate's turn, Ofelia smiled wryly at her after shaking her hand.

"A bit awkward, this," she said quietly and found herself oddly relieved at Kate's answering – albeit tentative – smile and even more so by the comment that followed.

"I think we can overcome it if we try hard enough, don't you?" Kate gestured to the two vacant chairs remaining at the table.

Ofelia nodded, thoughtfully taking the chair to Kate's right, between the auburn-haired girl and Remus, leaving the other chair, to Kate's left, for Sirius.

Sirius took his seat soon after and allowed his gaze to sweep over the assembly briefly. He noted that James' face still bore a somewhat wary expression, while everyone else looked politely curious.

"Well, then, shall we start?" he asked and when everyone nodded, Sirius hesitated. Looking at Kate, he added, "Only, I'm not really sure how to do that…"

Remus spoke up. "Kate, perhaps if you start by telling us what you were thinking of when you suggested getting us all together then we'll all join in after."

Kate flushed slightly, but nodded. "Right. Well, as everyone knows, Ofelia and Sirius have been … _arranged_ is as good a word as any, I suppose. The initial plan, although somewhat spotty in execution, wasn't entirely a bad one." Kate gave Sirius a small smile and was rewarded when he relaxed his shoulders and smiled in return. "I think it's something that can be built upon, at any rate. So, our primary goal is to dissolve the marriage arrangement. It would seem that the easiest way to do this would be to convince Ofelia's parents that this arranged marriage is a mistake. While I wish there was another way to do this without making Sirius the bad guy, I can't see one. Perhaps someone else here can."

"But Sirius isn't the only one who would benefit from dissolving the arrangement, is he?" James questioned, his voice neutral, but his expression defiant. "Why is this all down to him? Why shouldn't we focus on convincing the Blacks that this isn't going to work? Make Ofelia the bad sort?"

"Jamie!"

"No, no, Sirius, it's alright," Ofelia's calm voice cut through the tension. "Mr. Potter, I completely understand what you're asking. You're Sirius' friend and you don't think that it's fair that he's the scapegoat in all this. I'll admit that there's a part of me that doesn't think it's completely fair, either, but facts are facts." The blonde looked over at Sirius, who nodded, but remained silent. "My parents are quite thrilled to be connected to the Blacks, if not exactly _through Sirius._ They have their reasons. The Blacks, however…"

"The _Blacks_," Sirius interjected bitterly, "could give less than a flying _fuck _about their elder son, however. I'm a liability to them, a smudge on the purity of the family name. I consort with those who are _not _Purebloods. _Decidedly_ not Purebloods. Marrying me off solves one immediate problem: I cannot become involved with anyone else outside of the marriage – bonding, actually – or there will be dreadful physical consequences of such an action. It's the ultimate control mechanism, isn't it? Bind the wizard so he can't stray – because if he _does _he'll just do it the one time and then he … well, he won't be able to stray again, to phrase it delicately." Lily gasped softly and Sirius looked over at her. "Yeah, Evans; that's how it works in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black – and in many Pureblood families. Don't worry, though, Jamie's parents aren't like mine," he was quick to add, smirking when she blushed. "The other happy pastime at number 12 House of Grim is inter-marriage, as easily seen from the old family Tapestry. _Toujours Pur, _after all! We've been doing it for decades, apparently and now the blood's a bit _too 'Pur'_ if you get my drift. Introducing a few drops of the Bullstrode blood should bring things back into focus." Sirius paused for breath and looking around the table realized that all had noted the tone of desperation woven through his diatribe. "Sorry I interrupted you," he said to Ofelia.

"Sirius, you don't have to apologize to me! I never could have summarized it quite that well – or as _vividly_!" The awkward moment behind them, she continued more soberly. "But, that said, Sirius is absolutely right. The Blacks have no reason to rescind this arrangement, none at all. Forcing Sirius to marry me solves a multitude of problems for them. No, I'm afraid that my family will have to be the ones to end it."

"Which brings us right back to our original question: how to do it," Lily stated, refocusing the group on their purpose.

Kate nodded, picking up the discussion. "Now, we know – from Sirius – that there are certain _conditions _attached to the successful completion of the marriage contract, chief among them the reformation of his previous behaviors. Sirius had already sussed out that the easiest way to break that particular requirement was to publicly engage as many girls as possible in what would appear to be careless romantic entanglements. Another condition was that he was to stop having anything _whatsoever_ to do with _me_. Well, the public flirting would certainly have taken care of honoring _that_ requirement."

"Forget '_would have_'," Sirius muttered. "Try '_did'_!"

"So," Kate continued, ignoring his comment, "it seems that Sirius has already achieved that particular obligation; what we need to do now is make sure that certain Slytherins believe it's permanent."

"And the easiest way to do that is to make sure Kate and Sirius aren't ever seen together publicly," Remus joined in. "That should be easy enough outside our own Common Room, but I wonder if it's enough?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked indignantly. He knew it would be difficult for him to keep his distance from Kate in the hallways, at meals and in other public areas, but he also knew that he had no choice in the matter. He had counted on the Common Room in the Tower as a sort of safe harbor, however; a place where they could sit and talk together without fear of being observed by the 'wrong people'. Sirius was not prepared to easily give up that sanctuary, particularly as he was convinced that it was the only way he would stay sane. Like it or not; understand it or not – Sirius more than 'fancied' Kate. He realized now that somehow, he needed her to stay grounded.

Remus watched the play of thoughts across his friend's face. _You won't like what I'm about to say, Padfoot, but it needs to be said_. "What I mean is that we need to be sure that there's no one in our House who might carry tales outside of it. Tales that could easily reach Slytherin ears."

"No Gryffindor would carry information to a _Slytherin_, Remus!" James was adamant. "Certainly not if it meant going against someone in our own House!"

"Of course, we would expect that to be the truth," Remus said quietly, hoping to calm his friend without sacrificing the importance of what he was trying to say. "But if it was a question of revenge for some slight – real or imagined – you have to admit that it could be possible."

"You sound as if you have someone in mind," Peter spoke for the first time, looking curiously at the werewolf.

"Delilah Hornsby," Lily guessed, looking to Remus for confirmation.

"It does seem logical," he said, shrugging. "She feels that she's been jilted and we all know she's very unhappy about it."

"You're _both _daft! She's Hufflepuff. She's only ever in our Common Room to visit …", Sirius' voice trailed off as realization hit, "…her sister." _Damn! _"Right, so who does she know over in Slytherin?" Sirius pressed the point; he was unwilling to simply let slip away any chance he had to safely spend time with Kate.

"Surely you didn't think that Delilah restricted her … _favors_, shall we say? " Ofelia answered him. "She went after _you_, a Gryffindor and I'm sure there are wizards in her own House who've enjoyed her company. It was inevitable that Slytherin would have its turn, yes?"

"Anyone _we_ know?" Sirius asked, picturing Snape and feeling slightly ill as he did so. He was not prepared for the answer.

"Arturo," she replied. To say that the resulting silence was deafening would have been an understatement. Ofelia looked around the table and the shocked faces gazing in her direction. "Bullstrode. My brother," she added.

"You never said a _word_ about this to me when we talked about her," Sirius said, his voice taking on an accusing tone.

"I had no detail when we spoke," she defended. "I knew that my brother considered the witches in other houses fair game for … certain _dalliances_. He, too, is duty-bound where marriage is concerned and can only marry a Pureblood. Last night, Arturo was boasting to Lucius that Delilah would be more available to him now that she'd rid herself of you."

Sirius visibly bristled and to avoid further problems, Kate slipped into the conversation. "So, what we need to really focus on is _redirecting_ Delilah's loyalty." She leaned forward, clasping her hands on the table in front of her. "Look, as it stands right now, Delilah is decidedly _not _on our side. Her sister, Leticia, is a nice enough girl, but she's a very _young_ second year."

"Kate's right," Lily put in. "She's quite homesick for weeks upon returning to school after holidays and Delilah, for all her faults, is a comfort to her. Of course, this makes it easier to manipulate the child into disclosing information about certain wizards in Gryffindor."

"And, failing that – or in addition to it – makes access to our House much more easily attained, as well. As much as I hate to suggest it, Sirius, it would seem that you should consider a rekindling of that particular relationship," Kate said quietly.

"What? _No_!" Sirius was aghast to think he would be right back where he'd started.

"Sirius, don't you _see_?" Remus took over. "If Delilah perceives that you and she have repaired your relationship, she will be less apt to carry tales to Ofelia's brother – or to anyone else."

"And less apt to visit the Common Room," Kate said. "If you're seeing her elsewhere, you can claim the Common Room for time with your friends. Remus is right; if she perceives that you've gone back to her and have not reconciled with me, her desire to run to Arturo with _any _information – true or fabricated – will be greatly reduced."

"But even if that's true, her sister's still Gryffindor. If I'm seen with you, she'll go back to Delilah," Sirius' voice carried his sense of defeat.

"But second years have earlier curfews than we do," Lily said with a smile. "And, as a Prefect, I can certainly make sure they're tucked away right on time, can't I?"

"If this doesn't do the trick, perhaps we could drop a few hints to McGonagall that Delilah is distracting us from our studies, or something similar. But it will all hinge on you spending time with her again – as a _couple_, Sirius – to keep her suspicions at bay," Remus said firmly.

"Arturo will surely see you together, as he is determined to discredit you to our parents and is obviously eager for every scrap of information that will enable him to do so. He will be forced to employ other means of tracking your behavior and will also rely on what I am able to tell him," Ofelia said with a soft smile. "I, of course, will attest to the absolute cad that you are and our mutual – and respective – goals will be accomplished when he goes directly to our father with his report."

"How long do you think this process will take?" Resigned to his fate with Delilah now, Sirius was concerned only with the length of time it would take for the newly revised plan to be accomplished so he could end the charade once and for all and perhaps convince Kate to trust him again – and to consider resuming their relationship.

They all looked to Ofelia for an answer. She shrugged one elegant shoulder. "Who can say? Arturo is filled with animosity toward you, Sirius, so it may be a relatively short time. Of course, my father may not immediately decide to terminate the agreement. He may speak with your parents first to decide if there is an alternative course of action that should be pursued before the arrangement is nullified."

Kate watched Sirius' face pale to a color comparable to the unused parchment before them. "Let's hope my performance is good enough to convince him that there's no point in pursuing any alternatives with my parents," Sirius said quietly.

"You said, 'respective goals'," James finally spoke again and as Ofelia's face shuttered and she drew breath to speak, he continued before she could do so. "No, Ofelia. We've all agreed to help you – not just Sirius – _both of you_ get out of this stupid marriage agreement. We're putting ourselves on the line for you even though we don't know you. I think asking you to trust us isn't out of line here."

"He's right, you know," Kate said to the other witch with an understanding smile. "We're trusting you enough to take your advice, trusting that Sirius won't be hurt as a result. We don't know you any better than you know us, yet you have sought and accepted our help. With so much at stake, I think we should know if there are any potential pitfalls to be mindful of from your end of things. You _can _trust us to keep your confidences. _We_, after all, trust _you_ to keep _ours_ – and from people who live in the same House as you do."

Ofelia watched Kate's face closely as she spoke and when silence reigned once more in the room, the blonde witch took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, a look of resoluteness settling on her face. "My secrets must be kept from those same people," she said in a voice slightly above a whisper. Ofelia looked around the table, her gaze settling for a brief moment on each of them before she continued in a slightly stronger voice.

"I have perhaps been wrong in not confiding in you, Sirius, but other lives depend upon some of the secrets I maintain."

"There's someone else," Kate voiced her guess.

After a moment, the other girl nodded. "Not here; not in this school. Not even in this country." Ofelia fixed her gaze on the opposite wall as her features softened. "He and his family came to France last year and bought an estate close to Beauxbatons. During weekend trips to Neuilly – there is a magical section of that town, much the same as your Diagon Alley in London – we would pass by their home. He was often exercising his horse when we would do so. One day, he spoke to us as we were walking to town; upon our return, he was sitting on the stone wall waiting. We spoke – he and I – and on the next weekend visit to town, he was in the bookstore when I arrived. We spent the entire time talking and laughing. He is … very nice. He continued to meet me in the town whenever the school had scheduled visit." Ofelia's gaze snapped back to the table, suddenly and her face grew sad. "It was difficult to leave him when my parents decided to return to England."

"You are in love with him," Lily said, smiling gently at the other girl.

"Yes," she replied simply. "But by now it does not matter; I was not able to speak with him before I left Beauxbatons. I was not told that I would not be returning until I arrived in London. He does not know where I am; he does not know that I have left." For the first time since dinner at Grimmauld Place, Sirius saw a crack in the young woman's composure. It was one with which he could clearly identify.

"Can't you send him an owl?" Sirius asked.

"No, it is impossible," Ofelia blinked rapidly to clear the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"But he should know what happened," Kate reasoned. "What if we could come up with a way for you to communicate with him; something foolproof so Arturo and your parents never found out about it?"

Ofelia smiled sadly. "It would not matter; we cannot be together. My family has always arranged the marriages of its children. I would not be allowed to be with him."

Kate thought of her own parents' history: of her mother's initial duplicity – and the hardships they had been forced to endure once her scheming had won her what she most desired. If this young man – whomever he was – felt half as much for Ofelia Bullstrode as she did for him, Kate felt that together they, too, might find a way around the antiquated customs of Ofelia's Pureblood family.

"Perhaps not," she replied. "But even if that turns out to be true, at a minimum, you would be able to see him to explain what has happened and why you have not returned to school, yes?"

Ofelia's face brightened a bit as she considered Kate's words. "Yes, of course I would very much want to be able to speak to him myself; to explain things to him myself. I simply do not see how that would be possible, however."

Lily looked at the four wizards seated 'round the table and chuckled wryly, "It's obvious that you have no idea with whom you're dealing." She inclined her head toward James, Sirius, Peter and Remus. "Ofelia Bullstrode, I give you 'the Marauders'. Based on their accomplishments to date, I cannot believe that this would pose anything close to an insurmountable challenge." The redhead cocked an eyebrow at James. "Well?"

The subject of her attention ran his hand through his mass of already unruly hair, shoved his glasses more firmly onto the bridge of his nose and finally looked at his mates. "Gentlemen, it would seem that the gauntlet has been cast down, as they say in Remus' storybooks…"

"_Novels_," Remus muttered, though James had moved on and was not listening to him.

"…It seems the decent thing to do, doesn't it?"

"We'll need more information," Remus reasoned, looking at the young witch seated beside him. "Exact location, shops, cafes, etc in the wizarding section of the town…"

"The bloke's name would be helpful," Sirius interjected.

Ofelia looked at the Marauders, who continued to banter back and forth, exchanging ideas and talking about what was needed for their planning purposes. She looked at Kate and her eyes were suspiciously bright. "Why would they do this for me?" her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

Kate reached over and patted her arm. "Because you need help," she said. "Because you're helping us."

Lily overheard and leaned over with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Oh, Ofelia, I don't think it's anything nearly as noble as that. I think they've been confronted with a delicious opportunity to add to their already illustrious reputation."

"But no one can know about this," Ofelia's face registered her anxiety.

"Don't worry," Lily reassured her. "They've got everyone they want to impress gathered right here, in this room." She looked at Kate and the two of them smiled broadly.

"She's right, Ofelia. I don't think you've got a thing to worry about," Kate inclined her head toward the four friends who were busy jotting lists down on parchment and bickering between one another on various points.

"Oi, Ofelia," Sirius called out. "Where does this bloke go to school? Does he have some kind of tutor or something? Beauxbatons is a girls school, so he can't be going there."

Ofelia took a deep breath. "He does not have a tutor."

Remus' eyes narrowed in thought. "He can't attend Durmstrang or he would not have been at home during your school year."

Ofelia shook her head. "No. His father fell ill at the beginning of this year and he took a leave of absence to care for the estate matters in his father's place. He was recovered enough immediately before the holiday to resume handling estate affairs. Michael should have returned to school earlier this month."

"Where does he attend school?" Remus asked.

Ofelia set her jaw determinedly. "He attends university in London."

James' eyebrows shot toward his hairline. "_Muggle_ university?"

"Yes. He attends London Metropolitan University. He's studying business," Ofelia lifted her chin in a movement daring anyone to insult him.

"He's Muggle-born?" Sirius asked quietly. _That would certainly explain a lot! _

"His father is Muggle and his mother is a witch – from a Pureblood family, I'll have you know – not that it matters to _Michael_, or to me, come to that. His mother defied her family and ran off with Michael's father. Her family were so cruel to her that Michael's mother has completely given up her magic, although her husband did not demand it of her. Michael is magical, however, but has not been formally trained. When his magic first appeared, his mother was forced to relent so that he could be taught to control it. In the end, she taught him everything that he knows today, although she still lives her life in Muggle fashion."

"Do your parents know about him?" Kate asked.

"No, and they will _not _learn of him, either," Ofelia's voice was adamant.

"It would be helpful to know a bit more about the school," James murmured, then looked up at Remus and smiled. He cleared his throat then spoke loudly. "I need to know everything about London Metropolitan University!"

In the next moment, the air above the center of the table shimmered and a large book dropped onto the polished wood with a decided _thunk_. Remus pulled it toward him and flipped pages until he came to what he was apparently looking for. "Ah – here we are … except … hmmm. Ofelia, there are three campuses for LMU. Do you know at which he studies?"

"London City campus. It is quite near the financial district," she said. "Why?"

The four wizards looked at each other, smiles slowly breaking out on their faces.

"Mates," Sirius announced, clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly. "I think our task just got a great deal easier!"

XXXXXXXX

Over the course of the following week, Kate and Sirius were never seen together. The closest anyone could come to claiming they were reconciled occurred when she and Lily sat on the fringes of the group in the library or the Gryffindor Common Room.

Delilah, for her part, watched the Gryffindor friends carefully but, by the end of that week, looked more confused than scorned as she attempted to discern the status of what she had been certain was a renewed relationship between Kate and Sirius.

Sirius made certain to be seen speaking with Ofelia in the hallways, classrooms and even off by themselves, eating in the Great Hall. This fed Arturo's fury, as he could find no unsatisfactory behavior on the part of the Black heir that he could store away for later reporting at home. During their periodic meals together, Sirius was amused to notice that Snape had developed a habit of staring at them, expression malevolent, looking for all the world like some scrawny, hovering bat waiting to swoop down and rescue the fair Ofelia from the clutches of the Gryffindor n'er-do-well. On one occasion, when Sirius had been unable to suppress an amused snort, Ofelia followed his gaze, frowning when she discovered the source of his entertainment.

"Stop it," she hissed, eyes flashing. "He has done nothing to you; leave him alone."

Sirius' brows rose as he turned his attention back to the young woman in front of him. "Ofelia, you can't honestly tell me that you actually _like _that greasy git!"

"He's a friend," she said quietly, the intensity of her voice intact. "He has been kind to me; a gentleman." When Sirius' expression didn't change, Ofelia abruptly stood. "If you can't get over your own pettiness, Sirius Black, you will wind up no better than the family you _despise_! I've lost my appetite." And leaving a very stunned wizard behind her, Ofelia made swift progress toward the door and out of the Great Hall. Sirius gazed after her for a moment, then turned back to his dinner. After spending a full five minutes pushing his food around his plate he, too, rose and left the Hall, intent on the familiar surroundings of his own Common Room.

Crossing the threshold into the entry hall, Sirius' progress was halted as Severus Snape stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "Trouble in paradise, Black?" he sneered.

"Get out of my way, _Snivellus_," the irritated wizard hissed. "Ofelia Bullstrode is _my_ business – not yours. As a matter of fact, I'd soundly recommend that you keep your distance from her. She's _my _fiancée, after all – not _yours_, as if you could ever hope to attract a witch like _her_!"

Snape's eyes snapped cold fire in their inky depths and his face paled. He drew a sharp breath and leaned toward Sirius, his features menacing. "Your _fiancée_," he mocked. "She's too good for the likes of _you_. She's refined, elegant and kind. You're nothing more than an imposter; your own _family_ despises you, as well they should. Oh? Did you think your family secrets were safe at Hogwarts? Guess again, Black. You have enough family in my House to prevent privacy. And it's not just the cousins any longer is it? Oh, no, little brother is Slytherin, isn't he? You'd best watch yourself, _Black_. It would give me the utmost pleasure to call you out on Ofelia's behalf should you treat her badly."

Sirius barely stopped himself from drawing his wand against the other wizard. His mouth, however, ran away from him. "Please _do_, Snivellus. As I've told _you_ before, push me at your own peril! And continuing to insinuate yourself between Ofelia Bullstrode and me is enough to do the trick, in case you were wondering! Now, Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

As Snape's jaw worked furiously, but he remained silent, Sirius went around the fuming wizard and charged up the staircase, taking the steps two at a time.

"Blood pops!" he yelled at the portrait when he reached the portal to the Gryffindor Common Room.

With an affronted glare, the Fat Lady swung to, permitting the irate wizard access to the Tower.

"Sirius! What's gotten your knickers in a knot?" James voice rose above the hum of the densely populated Common Room.

Sirius made his way through the knots of chattering students and dropped onto the sofa beside Remus. "_Snivellus_," he muttered. "The great bat's crushing on Ofelia and actually threatened to call me out if I treated her badly! The bloody _bastard_!"

"Why do you _care_, Sirius?" Lily asked, rolling her eyes. "I thought it was _Kate _you wanted." The last added in a hushed tone.

Sirius returned the redhead's unyielding stare. "You _know_ how I feel about Kate, Evans. I don't fancy Ofelia; you know that, too!"

"It's not just Ofelia, is it?" Remus asked. "What else did Severus say to get you so riled?"

Sirius thought back to Snape's comment about Regulus and he shook his head as if to clear it. "Black family scourge. Bane of the gene pool. Nothing. The usual shite. It's just … _Snape_; you know." He inhaled deeply, making an exaggerated show of exhaling loudly. "There. See? Over it. Now, I'm sure you're discussing something far more interesting than _Snivelly_ _Snape_. Let's have it."

James and Remus exchanged a look and James shook his head slightly. Remus sighed.

"Ok, Pads. I think we've got our plan together for Ofelia to make contact with Michael. Here's what we'll do. In two weeks' time, we're scheduled for another Hogsmeade weekend. Ofelia will send Michael an owl; he lives off-campus in a flat close enough to Diagon Alley that it won't be a stretch if anyone sees. She'll instruct him to meet her at the Leaky Cauldron at 11 am. She can Floo there from The Three Brooksticks. Since we generally return to the school around 4, she'll have until then to wrap it up with him and Floo back while we wait. Sound good?"

"Have you spoken with Ofelia, yet?" Sirius wanted to know.

Remus shook his head. "No, we thought we'd let you do that as one of your "public sightings"."

"Well, if she's still speaking to me. She, too, thinks that I should leave Snape alone. Looks like I'll have to eat some crow before I give her the plan," Sirius replied wryly.

"See if they'll serve it to you on toast at breakfast, tomorrow," James advised with a smile. "We'd like to be ready ahead of time for this one."


	26. Covert Activities & Secret Rendezvous

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Perhaps a few suggestive thoughts (**High time** given we're 26 chapters in!)

Chapter 26 – Covert Activities & Secret Rendezvous

Sirius took great care to keep his footsteps as silent as possible as he crept across the highly polished wooden floors of the library. He snickered to himself as he walked. _Sirius Black, in the library on a _Saturday! _Who would believe it!_ As he made his way toward their normal study spot – a highly visible table near the middle of the room - Sirius was relieved to reach the open space and see Ofelia's blonde head bent over a rather large book. With his typical effortless grace, the wizard dropped into the seat opposite hers and waited quietly for her to notice his presence. _If I'm going to convince her I'm sorry for what I said about Snape, I can't irritate her right from the off_, he reasoned.

Ofelia looked up as she closed her book. She raised one eyebrow. "I think this is the longest I've ever seen you sit still. Whatever you have on your mind must be important."

Sirius smiled and leaned toward her. "I think…wait, could it be? I thought I detected a sense of humor, Ms. Bullstrode."

Ofelia smiled and shook her head. "_Idiot_," she said quietly but without any malice. "I'd _have _to have a sense of humor in this place, wouldn't you agree?"

"Mmm," he agreed. "But not about _everything_. Look, I'm sorry I made you angry because of what I said about Snape. I can't help how I feel about him but I shouldn't have questioned you. If you get along with him – even though I'll never understand _how_ you can – then that's none of my business."

Ofelia watched him while he spoke, her expression wary. Finally, she sighed and shook her head again. "Thank you. I don't understand why there's so much animosity between you, but he's been kind to me and I think you and I should just leave it at that, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "I'll do my best to bite my tongue when you're around, then." He considered her for a minute longer then added, "So, are we ok, now?"

"Yes, Sirius, we're ok now." She smiled indulgently. _He cannot bear anyone to be at odds with him; well – _practically_ anyone_, Ofelia mused, thinking of Snape. "Surely, this isn't the only reason you've come looking for me."

Sirius shook his head. "No, actually. We've worked out the plan for you and," Sirius looked around to make certain no one was within earshot, "for you and Michael."

Ofelia felt the blood rush to her face. "Really? Sirius, how…"

"Not here. Too public – and Pince has been pacing the stacks for the last 10 minutes, glaring daggers at us," Sirius replied. "Come on; the rest of them are waiting for us in the Room of Requirement."

Ofelia gathered her things and soon the two students were walking through the doorway of the Room of Requirement. Upon entering, Ofelia noted that in place of scrolls, inkbottles and quills, the oval table bore three silver pots of steaming hot chocolate and a platter of warm, sweet biscuits.

"Elevenses," a hoarse voice sounded from behind her and Ofelia turned to find a smiling Remus extending her a mug filled with the aromatic chocolate. As she accepted the drink, Ofelia was taken aback by how pale the young wizard appeared and by the deep circles that ringed his tired eyes. As she took the mug from his long fingers, the cuff of his shirt shifted slightly and Ofelia was certain she could see what appeared to be a rather fresh, angry looking red scar on his wrist. Still smiling benignly, Remus dropped his arm by his side.

"Remus, forgive me, but are you quite well?" Ofelia felt compelled to ask.

He nodded. "I think I caught a bit of a chill a couple of nights ago on the Astronomy Tower. I think the practical lessons should only be scheduled during the warmer months," Remus said. "Muscles are a bit sore and my throat's been a bit scratchy since, but I'll be fine."

Ofelia nodded, but couldn't help feeling that he wasn't being completely honest with her. She hoped that there was nothing seriously wrong with the young Gryffindor. Since meeting Sirius' friends, Ofelia had gotten to know Remus by virtue of their "public sightings", as Sirius laughingly called them. Remus and Dorcas had frequently joined the couple in the Gryffindor Common Room, the kitchens and walking to and from class. She liked his quiet intelligence and kind manner and was delighted to learn that he possessed a keen sense of humor. Ofelia thought he and Dorcas were admirably well suited to each other. She hated to think that he might be suffering from some sort of illness.

"If it persists, you must promise that you'll see Madam Pomfrey. I understand that she can cure almost anything," Ofelia smiled and moved toward an empty chair at the table.

Remus' smile slipped a bit as he followed her. "_Almost_," he murmured, thinking of the full moon that had occurred two nights prior. He greeted Sirius with a warm pat on the back and took his own seat, next to Ofelia as he waited for everyone else to settle down.

"James?" Sirius nodded toward his friend. "Why don't you lay out the details, mate? After all, between you and Remus, you're the key strategists of our little group and I wouldn't _dream _of asking Remus to neglect his chocolate long enough to take the floor!"

Remus made a face at his friend, not missing the flash of concern he saw in the other boy's blue eyes. "Cheers, mate," he replied with a smile. He held the other wizard's gaze for a second. _I'm fine, Pads. Don't call attention to it, right? _When Sirius' head tipped slightly toward him, Remus felt certain that he had, at least, read some degree of the message in Remus' eyes.

"Right," James was speaking. "The next Hogsmeade visit is next Saturday, as you know. Now, Ofelia, Michael knows about Floo travel, yes?" At her nod, he continued.

"Excellent," James replied. "You need to send Michael an owl – you can use mine – telling him to go to The Leaky Cauldron, in London, at approximately 11:00 AM on Saturday morning. Once there, he's to tell Tom – he's the manager – that he's expected in Hogsmeade village immediately on business relating to Hogwarts. He'll let him use the Floo without asking any questions if he says that. Michael's destination will be The Three Broomsticks."

"But James, the students don't leave the school for Hogsmeade until 12:00," Ofelia protested. "How can I meet him at 11?"

James smiled. "Sirius?"

"Right. James has this amazing thing called an _Invisibility Cloak_ that he'll lend to us to make certain we're not seen," Sirius began.

"We?"

"Mm-hmm," Sirius continued, "_'we'. _Once we've finished breakfast, you and I will meet in that empty classroom just down from the Great Hall. We'll get under the cloak and then we'll take a passageway I know about that will get us to Hogsmeade without anyone knowing."

"Does this passageway go directly into this Three Broomsticks place?"

"No. Honeyduke's basement; but there will be so many students there by then that we should be fine," Sirius.

Ofelia glanced around the table at the others. "And assuming that we actually manage to sneak out of the basement and into the street – without being caught, of course - what then?"

"We'll head over to the Three Broomsticks, where, hopefully, Michael will be waiting. Madam Rosmerta has agreed to help us and to keep things quiet afterward. You've got some time together before we all have to leave to head back up to the castle. I'll hide out until James and the others get to the village. I'll be back to pick you up around 4 pm, so be sure you're ready. We'll head back to the castle the same way we left. What do you think?" Sirius looked at the girl.

"I think you've all gone to a great deal of trouble for someone you hardly know and I'm very grateful," Ofelia said quietly. "It doesn't seem that there are any holes in the plan at all."

"You said earlier that sending Michael an owl was out of the question, though," Lily said with a frown as she suddenly remembered Ofelia's statement from the meeting before.

Ofelia shook her head. "If I had sent him an owl from my own home, I believe his reaction would have been disastrous." She paused, smiling wryly. "He would most likely have stormed my family's home, demanding my release from a barbaric, outdated situation. By doing so now, with a plan to meet, his reaction will be far less volatile."

"Do his parents know about you?" Lily asked.

Ofelia nodded. "I've met them, and they were very kind, but there was no discussion of the nature of our relationship; Michael introduced me only as a friend. I am sure they suspect, although neither of his parents pursued the subject."

"If things work out…" Lily began, but was quickly interrupted.

"Let's not jinx it, shall we?" Ofelia smiled at the other girl. "There is so much that could go wrong with all of this, after all." The blonde turned toward Sirius. "Have you reconnected with Delilah yet?"

Sirius flushed and shook his head. "We have been a bit busy pulling together your meeting with Michael, after all." His demeanor and voice were defensive.

"But the planning has been accomplished, now. We must ensure that everything we've plotted is executed properly," Kate – silent until this moment – pointed out. "Arturo has seen you and Ofelia together and his frustration is peaking at having nothing to report about you. It's time to rekindle your relationship with Delilah, Sirius."

"I know, Kate. I know," Sirius muttered. "I just…"

"All right, everyone," Remus cut in, seeking to spare his friend a public re-hash of this particular conversation. "We all know what we need to do. May I suggest that we adjourn, allowing Ofelia to get on with sending her message? I intend to use the rest of today to do some revising for OWLs. I daresay some of the rest of us could benefit from the same activity." His gaze rested on the other Marauders, who nodded glumly and rose from their seats.

"Kate, could I have a word?" Sirius beckoned to Kate before retreating a distance away from the others. She nodded in response and made her way to where he stood.

"I'll be along directly," Sirius called over to his mates, inclining his head toward the door as a signal that they should not wait for him. The boys nodded and joined the others as they walked out of the Room.

"What is it?" Kate asked. "Is everything alright?"

Sirius nodded, "I'm fine. I just …" He stopped and exhaled sharply.

"Sirius," Kate said softly, reaching for his hand. Giving it a soft squeeze, she continued. "What's wrong?"

Sirius' blue eyes snapped up to capture her gaze. "I miss you," he whispered, returning the pressure on her hand while his eyes searched her face.

"But I…" she began, but Sirius shook his head.

"I miss _us_."

When Kate didn't immediately respond, he continued. "When Ofelia was talking about this guy, Michael, I couldn't miss the way she looked – the way she sounded. She loves him and she might never see him again after next weekend. All because of some bloody family tradition. And then I – I think about _you_ and – and _me_ and how we barely even got _started_ before it all…" Sirius closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself, never relinquishing Kate's hand as he did so. Finally, he opened his eyes again, to find her calmly watching him. "There's so much at stake, here, Katie," he whispered. "I don't want to be like Michael – separated from _you _because _my _blasted family makes me be with someone else. And my _family_ does _not _enjoy being disagreed with. Awful things happen to people who stand in their way. I'm afraid of what they'll do – not to me, really, but …" He stopped, seemingly realizing that he was approaching topics best left unexplored at the moment. "Right. I don't like pretending and I've got to go back to Delilah and do whatever it takes to make her believe I want _her_ when all I ever _really _want is … you; _just you_." He paused and shook his head. "But even if all this scheming works out, even though you've forgiven me, I know there's a chance that I hurt you badly enough that you won't trust me enough for us to … to…"

Kate brought her hand up to cup his cheek and gently ran her thumb over the flushed skin. "You need to stop," she said quietly. "We all know what's at stake and what must be done to get the two of you out of this arrangement. That should be the only thing we're focused on at the moment." At her words, some of the despair left Sirius' face and he calmed somewhat. "And as far as you and I are concerned," Kate's voice dropped to a whisper and she leaned closer to the now wide-eyed wizard, "and the trust issues we've had; I think I might have a better understanding of why you behaved as you did when we returned this term. You trusted _me _enough to confide in me about your family; you told me the truth about what you live with at home. I know that you hate pretending with Delilah because it makes you feel like you did before; when you were _with _her because of that foolish plan of yours. But it's not the same now, is it? I _know_ that everything with Delilah is an act; I know that you don't want her. Sirius, I hate this, too. And I'm really going to hate watching you with that witch, but I can handle it this time around. What I hate _more_ is not being with you out in the open – like James and Lily or Remus and Dorcas. But I'm not going anywhere, either. When all of this is over, Sirius, and you're finally rid of this _fiancée_ of yours, I'll still be here. Ok?"

Sirius nodded slowly. "More than ok," he said quietly. "Katie?"

"Yes?"

"I would _really_ like to kiss you. May I?"

"Please," Katie breathed and in the next moment, she experienced the achingly familiar feeling of Sirius' lips on hers, gentle, a bit tentative, but definitely _Sirius_. She leaned closer into the kiss and was thrilled when Sirius wrapped his arms around her waist and nibbled on her lower lip. They kissed until the need to breathe became too great to ignore. Standing close together, foreheads touching, they breathed deeply then Sirius placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He was quiet for a long moment then his arms tightened around Kate again. _Nothing held back_, he reminded himself. Sirius drew a deep breath.

"I love you."

Kate stiffened in surprise and before she could recover, Sirius spoke again. "You don't have to say it back. I just wanted to tell you; I don't expect…"

Kate tightened her hold on him. "'_Expect_'", she whispered back. "I love you, too."

Sirius stepped back to look at her. Kate caught her breath at the look on his face. It had been far too long since she had seen him truly _happy_. In the past weeks he had been better; he had been more at ease but _this _was the Sirius of old. Blue eyes suspiciously bright despite the incredulous smile that lit his features, Sirius stared at her silently for several very long moments. "Yeah? Really?"

"Yeah. Really."

"You do realize that this will make it much more difficult to stay away from you, now," Sirius smiled softly. "It's rather counterproductive to what we're trying to accomplish."

Kate nodded. "I know. But it also gives us more motivation to do this properly so we can be together more quickly." She paused for a moment. "But perhaps we can find the odd occasion to spend time together – unseen."

Sirius' smile intensified again. "We'll sort something out. We can do it; Marauders are involved, after all."

Kate laughed quietly then sobered. "We should go," she said reluctantly.

"Don't want to," Sirius pulled her against him once again.

Kate gently ran her fingers through his hair. "They'll be looking for us back in the Common Room."

"Don't care," Sirius whispered into Kate's ear, smiling at the shiver it produced from her. Delighted by her response, Sirius kissed her ear then the sensitive spot just beneath it.

"Sirius," Kate whispered.

'Mmm?" he responded, kissing her neck again.

Kate felt as if a dozen butterflies had been freed in her stomach. The sensations the young wizard evoked in her were new – and thrilling. Her logic wrestled with her desire – and lost – as Kate turned her face toward Sirius. As she did so, her lips met his once again and this time, passion flared at their first touch.

Sirius sought to deepen their kiss and Kate immediately responded. Lost in the moment, lost in each other, the couple put all of their newly realized feelings and emotions into this one, amazing kiss. Tongues caressed, embraces grew impossibly close and Kate soon began to feel slightly lightheaded. As she shifted slightly in Sirius' arms, Kate became aware of something firm pressing against her stomach. She might not have been a vastly experienced witch, but even Kate recognized the undeniable evidence of Sirius' arousal. Gently, she broke the kiss and took a half step backward.

The loss of close contact prompted a groan of frustration from Sirius' throat. As he came back to himself and recognized the impact Kate was having on him, embarrassment kicked in and Sirius leaned forward and rested his face on Kate's shoulder.

"Katie, I'm sorry," he mumbled against the fabric of her robes. "It's just that you … I …"

"_We _got a bit carried away," Kate interrupted. "I'm not upset with you. After all, I'm partly responsible."

Sirius lifted his head. "I know that you're not ready for … well, for …" his face flushed and he struggled to find the right words.

Kate rescued him from the awkwardness. "No, I'm not," she agreed and brought her hands up to cup his face as she continued softly. "But when I _am _ready, I know that I want it to be you."

"_Katie_," Sirius breathed and leaned forward to kiss her lips gently.

Kate smiled shyly. "I love you, but we need to go."

He nodded. "I love you – and I know."

"I'll leave first," Kate said. "Give me ten minutes or so, then follow – right?"

"Right," Sirius replied. "I'll spend my time wisely; I'll sit on the sofa over there and picture McGonagall in her knickers; Dumbledore in his drawers."

Kate stared at him blankly than blushed and began to giggle as she caught his meaning. Moving swiftly toward the door, she called over her shoulder. "Don't picture anything _too_ outrageous; it will be difficult to see them at dinner later on."

Sirius waved her through the door with what he realized must have been an idiotic smile on his face. Once Kate had made good her escape, he settled onto the sofa to wait out the promised ten minutes. As he sat, Sirius' mind returned to all that had occurred between the two of them that afternoon. _Katie loves me; she loves _me_. In spite of everything I told her about my family, she actually stood here and said the words. _As the memory replayed in his mind, a feeling of enormous peace came over Sirius. The usual frantic play of thoughts and emotions that coursed through the boy were notably absent. The warmth he felt spread throughout his chest had nothing to do with the crackling fire before him; he knew it came from the undeniable fact that he was loved for who he _truly_ was. _And it only took 16 years for _that _to happen_, he thought, rising. Sirius glanced at his watch and was glad to see that it was time for him to head back up to the Common Room. Even though it might have to be from a distance, Sirius suddenly wanted nothing more than to see Kate's face.

********

Fists jammed into his robes' pockets, Sirius walked briskly through the winding corridors of the castle, intent on his destination. He passed comparatively few students but knew that even in the cold weather, most of the castle's inhabitants fled the confines of the school for the brighter, more open spaces of the grounds.

As Sirius turned down the corridor that would lead to the main staircases, he heard a door close to his right and glanced over in that direction. To his dismay, there stood Delilah, her expression clearly reflecting her surprise at running into him.

_Right. _"Hullo, Delilah," Sirius said.

"Sirius," she managed.

"How've you been?" he asked, hoping his expression exhibited more interest than he actually felt.

Delilah's gaze was cynical. "You actually _care_? After what you did to me, I can't believe you have the gall to speak to me."

Sirius bit back the first response that came to mind. "I know I hurt you and I'm sorry for that, Delilah," he said instead and was gratified to see her lessen her glare, albeit marginally.

"So, you're with Kate Morgan now?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. Things are a bit complicated right now, but I am not with Kate."

"But, I thought you wanted …" Delilah had traded "cynical" for "confused".

"Yeah, well, things don't always work out, do they? She doesn't want _me_, alright? She doesn't want me." Sirius thrust away the mental image of he and Kate together earlier and focused on how he had felt after returning to Hogwarts from London.

Delilah took a step toward him. "_She _doesn't want _you_? She must be mad."

Sirius looked away from the now gullible witch for a moment and swallowed hard. _Go in for the kill_, he thought. _Remember the goal._ "No, Kate's not _mad_, Delilah; she just doesn't fancy getting involved with a wizard who doesn't want to settle in with just one witch."

"Wants you all to herself, does she?"

"I'm afraid so," Sirius half-smiled. "And you _know _I'm not a one-witch sort of wizard."

Delilah moved closer to Sirius, a sly smile forming on her lips. "Well, I won't deny that I'd like to convert you into that 'sort of wizard', but that's where the stuffy Miss Morgan and I differ. You see, I'll take what I can get now and hope for better futures."

Delilah was now standing directly in front of Sirius, so close that he prayed she could not see the clench of his jaw at her catty comment about Kate. "Mmm," he hummed, uncertain that he could keep the derision from his voice if he attempted a full sentence.

He needn't have worried; Delilah wasn't really interested in intellectual conversation. She leaned in as if to kiss him and Sirius' mind fed him an image of a very different witch, in a very similar – very recent – situation. He turned his face so her kiss landed sloppily on his cheek.

"What are you …?" Delilah's voice started to rise in her indignation.

Sirius made a great show of stepping back and looking around. Turning back to Delilah he finally spoke. "Not _here_."

He almost sniggered as Delilah took an exaggerated step backward, head twisting and turning as if she expected the entire school faculty to come down upon them. While it suited his purposes to have them seen together and he knew they _would _be seen at some point in the very near future, he did not want quite yet to surrender the feel of Kate's lips beneath his. Sirius wanted to hang onto that feeling without compromise for just a bit longer.

"Later then," the anxious witch whispered, fingers sliding up and down Sirius' arm in what she thought was a seductive manner. For his part, Sirius found himself wondering at the notion that this dozy young woman could ever have turned him on.

"Yes, later," he managed.

"Tonight. The Astronomy Tower," she leaned in and swiped her tongue over the rim of his ear. "Nine o'clock. Don't keep me waiting, handsome." And with that, she turned and sashayed down the corridor in the direction of her own Common Room.

Sirius shrugged his fist up inside the sleeve of his robes and wiped the moisture from his ear. _Bint_. Thus sorted, he straightened his clothing and continued along the corridor, more anxious than before to reach the Common Room and his friends.

XXXXXXXX

The Common Room was empty of all but his friends when Sirius climbed through the portrait hole a short while later.

"Padfoot! We thought you'd gone to lunch without us," James called from his position on the floor at Lily's feet.

Sirius scanned the room and smiled softly when his eyes alighted on Kate, sitting in a large wing backed chair before the fire. She returned his smile and the young wizard dropped to a spot on the floor in front of Kate's chair, offering James a more cheeky smile, once settled.

"As a matter of fact, I ran into one Delilah Hornsby in my travels," he announced and felt Kate's hand squeeze his shoulder. "Afraid I can't help you with your Arithmancy homework tonight, Petey; sorry mate."

"Got a date, have you?" Remus asked.

"Astronomy Tower. Nine o'clock." Sirius leaned back against Kate's legs after another glance around the room to make sure they were well and truly alone. "First time in a long while I've dreaded going out with a bird."

"Brilliant plan execution, though," Kate said quietly and returned her hand to Sirius' shoulder when she saw him tense slightly. "Which is exactly what's needed, isn't it?"

"I wonder if you two will be alone up there," James wondered aloud, the beginnings of a truly evil grin appearing on his lips. He twisted his head to look at Ofelia, sitting next to Lily on the sofa.

"Are you suggesting that I should walk in on them?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

James shook his head. "Perhaps not _you_, exactly. Didn't you say that Arturo was boasting about Delilah's enhanced availability now that she and Sirius were no longer an item?"

Ofelia's brow cleared and she returned James' smile. "Why yes, I believe I did. Sirius, you _did _say that you were meeting her there at 9 o'clock this evening, yes?" At his nod, continued. "I believe I'll have dinner with my brother this evening. Perhaps I'll have an opportunity to ask him about his secret rendezvous with Delilah this evening."

It was Peter's turn to look confused. "But Ofelia, she's meeting _Sirius_ tonight. Weren't you listening?"

Kate smiled at Ofelia. "May I?" she asked the other witch, who nodded.

"I believe, Peter, that Ofelia intends her comments to tweak Arturo's ego enough to send him to the Astronomy Tower this evening. While she will innocently mention her assumption that the rumor involves a tryst with Arturo, _he_, of course, will know the truth."

Remus looked over at Sirius. "Keep your wand at the ready, Padfoot. If he snaps, it could get ugly."

Ofelia shook her head. "He won't. If there's anything that matters to my brother, it's his ego. He won't risk letting the whole school realize that he's been bested by none other than Sirius Black!"

"Forewarned is forearmed," Remus said. "I'd still be cautious, just in case."

"Yes, Mother," Sirius returned. "You know, this could be one of my most memorable dates yet!"


	27. Deception, Discoveries & Stolen Moments

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Suggestive behavior; mild sexual content.

Chapter 27 – Deception, Discoveries & Stolen Moments

The clatter of utensils against plates and the rise and fall of young voices spilled into the hallway as Ofelia approached the Great Hall for dinner. Pausing briefly in the doorway, her eyes swiftly located her brother, seated with Severus Snape at one end of the Slytherin table. Happily, the rest of their little entourage appeared to be elsewhere at the moment, Ofelia noted as she walked briskly toward the empty spot next to Snape.

"Good evening," she said, sliding into place next to the darker of the two wizards. "Severus, may I trouble you for some tea?"

Snape handed her a steaming mug, accepting her thanks with a slight incline of his head and the hint of a smile.

"Where were you keeping yourself all day?" Arturo asked in a quiet voice. "I looked everywhere for you."

Ofelia smiled brightly. "Obviously not '_everywhere_' as you did not find me, did you?" At his scowl, she waved her hand dismissively and continued. "You really should work on your sense of humor, Arturo. I daresay it will make your days more pleasant, after all."

"You did not answer my question," her brother pointed out.

"I was visiting with my fiancé," Ofelia said, evenly. "As I am required to do."

"And where was this _visit _taking place?"

"The Gryffindor Common Room," she replied. "As you well know, I have been spending time _there_ due to my complete inability to invite him into our _own _Common Room. _I _am quite welcome in the Tower, however, which makes this business a bit more tolerable."

"And do you also pass the time with those _friends_ of his? Potter, Lupin and the like?"

"They are most often there, as well. Sirius and I are more apt to sit off by ourselves but on occasion I have spent time with them. Is there a purpose to this interrogation?" Ofelia placed her mug down on the table in front of her gently; her eyes, however, reflected her irritation with her elder sibling.

Arturo recognized that he had pushed his sister too far, which, as history proved, would make her even more reluctant to part with any useful information. As his own sleuthing efforts had continued to be fruitless, he immediately sought to repair the breach. "I am merely interested in your life here, Ofelia; I apologize if I created the impression that I was interrogating you."

Ofelia failed to smother a small snort at this statement, surprising herself as much as the two wizards sitting with her. _Dear Merlin_, she thought, _perhaps I _am _spending too much time with Sirius and his friends!_

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," Severus muttered disdainfully, echoing her thoughts.

"I swallowed the tea too quickly," she said weakly, supporting the lie by daubing at her nose daintily with a napkin. "At any rate, Arturo, I am not the only Bullstrode who is enjoying the companionship of those from other Houses, am I?"

Arturo's eyebrows rose dramatically as he returned her gaze. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

Ofelia smiled secretively. "Oh, Arturo, it's alright; I really don't think our parents would object."

"Ofelia," he said, raising his voice slightly and leaning toward her across the table. "I _do not know_ what you're talking about."

Ofelia leaned toward him, as well. "Arturo, you don't have to be coy with _me_!" When he continued to glower at her, Ofelia shrugged. "I was walking down the staircase for dinner and _I heard her_ – Delilah Hornsby – gossiping with one of her group about her secret rendezvous tonight." Arturo said nothing, but his expression showed his confusion. "At 9 o'clock? The Astronomy Tower? No? Oh," Ofelia allowed her voice to trail off as she feigned uncertainty – followed quickly by remorse. "Oh, Arturo – I _am _sorry. I was certain it was you of whom she spoke; I know that you've been rather casually seeing her and so I just naturally assumed…."

Arturo's face reddened and he appeared to have lost his ability to speak. Finally finding his voice, he glanced around and mindful of Severus' poorly concealed interest in their conversation, Arturo spoke quietly. "There's no apology necessary; of course you are quite correct. One does not like to be the subject of gossip, however and so I…"

"Of course," Ofelia murmured. "How could I not understand, given my own situation? Discretion is always advisable in these matters, after all. We shall say no more about it. Severus, Professor Slughorn was speaking most admiringly of your willingness to explore the more difficult brewing projects to expand your knowledge. I would be very interested in hearing about those efforts, if you'd care to tell us."

Severus almost choked on his pudding; rarely did anyone express an interest in his personal potions studies – much less a beautiful and highly desirable witch, friend though she may be. Recovering quickly, the young wizard began expounding upon his current project, which could result in the extension of the efficacy of Polyjuice potion from one hour to, potentially, as much as twice that.

Having set Severus the task of explaining something he truly loved, Ofelia knew he would become lost in the telling, allowing her to drop periodic, "mm-hmm's" and "oh's", while surreptitiously observing her brother. Arturo was clearly lost in thought, his posture and demeanor very much like his sister's; Ofelia recognized that he was paying no closer attention to Snape's lecture than she was. Clearly, the wizard was working very hard to uncover the identity of the wizard who _would _be enjoying the dubious charms of Ms. Hornsby that evening.

Suddenly, Arturo rose, causing Severus to stop, mid-sentence. "Excuse me, Severus, Ofelia. I just remembered something I must do straight away." And with that, he was crossing the hall in long strides, soon disappearing through the entrance doors.

"That was … sudden," Severus said, turning to Ofelia.

Itching to see where her brother had gone in such a hurry, Ofelia nodded briefly. "I just think I'll check to make sure he's alright," she said, rising and soon making _her _way across the hall, as well.

"Must run in the family," Snape muttered, glaring down at his teacup as if he held it responsible for the mass desertion of his table.

********

"It would appear that Ofelia managed to plant a fairly large seed of doubt in her brother's mind," James observed, smiling.

"Did she also have the opportunity to send her message?" Remus asked.

James nodded. "She and Lily walked up to the Owlry before dinner. Now, we wait for the response."

"Do you ever doubt that this plan of ours will work as well as we think it will?"

"I worry, Moony, I worry," James replied. "But in the end, I think it will be successful. I'll admit that I'm not fond of the variables. We don't know this Michael bloke, after all. Pair that with the risk that the Slytherin crowd will spot Ofelia in Hogsmeade and muck up Ofelia's meeting … like I said, I worry."

Remus smiled. "Well, as long as you're on track with worry, I'll occupy myself with a nap."

"Alright, there, mate?" James' face reflected his concern.

"Always, James. Always," came the reply.

As the werewolf rose stiffly and began to make his own way out of the Great Hall, James couldn't miss the pronounced limp – a side effect of the most recent full moon. James watched his friend through the doorway and, as he was turning his attention back to his plate, his eyes swept over the Slytherin table and caught Severus Snape – whose own gaze was fixed on the now empty doorway through which Remus had just passed. James raised his eyebrows in challenge to the Slytherin wizard, who refused to rise to the bait. Instead, Snape held his gaze while he rose, holding it for several moments before he, too, left the Great Hall.

XXXXXXXX

The night was cold and still and Sirius wrapped his heavy woolen cloak more tightly around him. Withdrawing his wand from an inner pocket, he cast a warming charm as he confirmed that he was alone. _Better early than late._ He had left the Tower in sufficient time to ensure that he would reach his destination well in advance of Delilah. Her parting shot about not being kept waiting rang true for Sirius as he had experienced the rough edge of her tongue in the past and was not anxious to repeat it.

As he waited for the young witch to arrive, Sirius wandered over to the wall encircling the tower and leaned against the ancient stonework. Gazing up at the clear night sky, he immediately spotted the constellation Orion and his own namesake, the brightest star within it. Although he knew this little tête-à-tête was necessary, Sirius wished more than anything else to be beyond all the subterfuge, beyond the need to hide his relationship with Kate. She was right though; if they did everything properly now, they would be together that much sooner.

The sound of a door opening and closing interrupted the boy's thoughts and Delilah's voice confirmed his suspicions that his date had, indeed, arrived.

"You're early."

Sirius turned to see Delilah walking slowly toward him, her robes unbuttoned to expose a significant amount of cleavage. Bringing his eyes back up to hers, he smiled in what he hoped was a seductive manner. "I didn't want to ruin my chances."

The witch returned his smile and, as she drew level with him, reached up to put her arms around his neck. "Sirius, you _never_ have to worry about ruining your chances with _me_." With that, she leaned in and kissed him, her tongue sweeping over his bottom lip, seeking entrance. An image of Kate's face came into Sirius' mind unbidden and he thought that perhaps thinking of _her _might make this particular encounter somewhat bearable. Obliging the witch in his arms, Sirius parted his lips and surrendered control to Delilah, who immediately took advantage of it. Deepening the kiss, she caught Sirius' tongue with her own while her fingers entangled themselves in his hair to hold him in place. Delilah was very good; practice, after all _did _make perfect in some things. More importantly, she was completely self-involved; making her believe that he was enjoying the moment was not that difficult. As Delilah's enthusiastic snogging continued, Sirius responded, keeping his ears open for any sound that would indicate that Arturo had, indeed, found his way to the Astronomy Tower as Ofelia had indicated she thought he would do.

XXXXXXXX

Arturo quietly climbed the last few steps leading to the tower. Although his borrowed Invisibility Cloak concealed him from view, it would not silence any inadvertent noise. Beneath the gauzy fabric of the magical cloak, Arturo smirked; whilst Lucius Malfoy was an arrogant, self-absorbed prat in the majority, he did prove useful at times. Malfoy's misplaced attraction to Ofelia had secured her brother the use of Lucius' precious cloak – an item that until tonight, the cool blonde had managed to keep secret from all but Ofelia. When Arturo had confided in Lucius his suspicions regarding Delilah's clandestine plan for the evening, the other wizard had proved most empathetic. After all, it had been Lucius who had first brought Sirius' indiscretion with Delilah to Arturo's attention. Malfoy's relationship with Narcissa Black made him privy to the family's overall contempt for her younger cousin. He also understood the intricacies of arranged marriages and knew of the conditions Arturo's father had placed on the one between his daughter and the Black heir. Arturo was Slytherin, shared the same political and philosophical beliefs as all _proper_ families in their class; if the wizard wished to have cause to break the marriage contract then Lucius had made it abundantly clear that he would do what he could to assist. The fact that Malfoy hated the Gryffindor boy with a passion only fueled his enthusiasm. Loan him the Invisibility Cloak? Of _course_, if it would aid in Arturo's information gathering. Malfoy made it plain that he was greatly looking forward to the fallout Arturo's report would undoubtedly cause the Black heir when the news reached home. Arturo had assured him that he would give Malfoy all the details to pass on to Walburga Black in London. He, of course, would communicate directly to his parents.

Turning toward the closed door to the tower, Arturo removed his wand from his pocket and cast a quiet listening charm at the thick, dark wood. Silence. As he had followed Delilah, the wizard was certain that she was there. He pushed the door and was gratified when it moved forward silently, allowing him to step out onto the cold flagstone surface of the Astronomy Tower. Obscured by shadow, Arturo kept his back to the stone wall and carefully slid along its surface until the young couple came into view. A grim smile formed on the boy's thin lips as he observed the boy Delilah had come to meet. He had been right. Sirius Black was locked in what appeared to be a passionate embrace with the attractive young witch. Black's eyes were closed tightly in what Arturo interpreted to be ecstasy. As he watched, Arturo saw Delilah's hand detach itself from Black's long hair and drift south, toward his belt.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius felt Delilah's hand move from his hair to his neck, down his chest and, finally come to rest on his belt. When her hand slid lower to cup him through his robes, Sirius made a small noise of surprise that was, of course, muffled by Delilah's unrelenting kisses. He reached down and took her hand in his, raising it to his shoulder. Delilah pulled away to look at Sirius' face.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to?"

Sirius thought he heard a muffled sound – a scuffle - a short distance from the doorway. _Arturo_, he thought grimly. _It's show time._

"It's not that I don't want to," Sirius said. "Of _course _I want to. Just … not _here_."

Delilah looked at him shrewdly. "Not _here_?"

"Delilah," Sirius said softly, then leaned down to capture her lips briefly. "We're on the Astronomy Tower. It's the dead of winter. My bits will _not _be equal to the task, if you get my meaning." He smiled wryly.

Delilah pouted. "I _wondered_ what was wrong with you; you're not your … _usual _self," and she accentuated her comment by sliding her hand down for a quick squeeze before Sirius captured her wrist again.

"Delilah," Sirius' voice had a hint of warning.

"Oh, alright – fine," she huffed, stepping away from Sirius and crossing her arms over her chest. "But when…"

Sirius forced himself to take a step forward and gather the offended witch in his arms. "Soon, love. Listen," staring into space, he made a great show of seeming to search his mind for an appropriate assignation spot, "I've got it. Tomorrow afternoon, meet me in the empty classroom just beyond the library. One o'clock; just after lunch. I'll be waiting."

Delilah's eyes narrowed and she gave him a seductive smile. "Tomorrow; one o'clock," she said softly, then leaned forward and placed her lips on his in a blistering kiss. "I'll be there – and there won't be any excuses."

"Tomorrow; I promise," Sirius replied. "Now, let's go inside."

"I _could_ come to your Common Room and sit with you by the fire for awhile," Delilah's voice had a wheedling edge to it.

"Or, I _could_ use the time to finish my Transfiguration and Charms assignments so there's nothing to interfere with our _plans_ tomorrow…"

Delilah let her hand to slide down Sirius' arm until she could entwine her fingers in his. "Now _that's _a plan I can agree to; let's go."

XXXXXXXX

As the pair made their way swiftly to the door, Arturo was forced to gather the cloak more tightly around him to avoid Delilah's arm coming into contact with it. He waited until the door closed and he could hear their footsteps fading on the staircase before he removed the cloak and walked over to the wall. Heart rate accelerated, breath coming quickly and hanging silver in the cold air before him, Arturo felt a sense of victory race through him. _I have you now, Black_, he thought to himself. _Tomorrow afternoon, there will be _nothing _to interfere with _my _plans to unveil your deceit to my sister. _Smiling grimly, the Slytherin covered himself with the cloak once again and retraced his steps to the door. _Bellatrix will send the owl to Walburga while I send _mine _to Father. Our family will certainly be spared the likes of _you _once your true colors are revealed. _

XXXXXXXX

Sirius dropped Delilah back at the entrance to her own Common Room just as curfew expired. Mentally patting himself on the back for borrowing James' Invisibility Cloak, the wizard withdrew it from the pocket of his robes and hurriedly concealed himself. As he made his way back to the Gryffindor Tower, Sirius' mind replayed the events of the evening. While convincing Delilah to give him another tumble had been easier than he'd imagined, Sirius realized that he'd not quite anticipated how difficult that tumble would be to execute. When once Delilah's _attributes_ had inspired great physical responsiveness, now he seemed immune. Hopefully, Arturo had seen and heard enough to take the bait and he would be spared a repeat of tonight's performance. In the well-heated classroom, he would be hard pressed to come up with an excuse for a lack of performance ability, Sirius mused. Approaching the portrait, Sirius glanced around then removed the cloak.

He gave the password to the dozing Fat Lady and quickly climbed through the portrait hole and into the Common Room.

"How'd it go?" James' voice greeted him from the squashy chair in front of the fire.

Sirius smiled at his mate. "She will be meeting me at precisely 1 o'clock tomorrow afternoon." Glancing around, he realized that he and James were the only occupants of the room. "Where did everyone go?"

"A couple of third years staged an impromptu duel a while ago. Let's just say that their tempers far outweighed their skills. Horrid mess. Loads of minor casualties. Old Minnie was right beside herself. Came swooping through the door in her robe and slippers and banished the injured to the hospital wing and sent everyone else to bed," James gave his friend a mischievous grin that was immediately returned.

"Everyone else but _you_, I suppose?"

"Well, I offered to stay behind with Lily for a while and make sure everyone stayed in bed."

"Lily?" Sirius glanced around the room once again to find that he and James still appeared to be alone.

"Did I hear my name?" Lily's voice floated down from the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories. Sirius turned to find her poised on the bottom step, smiling in his direction.

"Back from your date, are you?"

Sirius snorted, disgust evident in his posture. "Some _date_," he grumbled. "Definitely _not_ who I wanted to be with, I can tell you that much."

"Ah, well perhaps I can help you with that," Lily glanced behind her and moved to one side of the wide staircase. As Sirius watched, still frowning, Kate appeared to stand beside Lily; his frown vanished at the sight of her.

"Kate! Wait –," Sirius turned to James who was now standing at the foot of the boys' staircase, "that 'impromptu duel' wasn't as _impromptu_ as you'd have me believe, was it?"

James shrugged. "It's possible they might have been provoked – a _little_. But don't worry; Remus said he was happy to rack up a detention for the cause! You owe him some of Honeyduke's finest, I'm afraid."

Sirius' eyebrows rose as James spoke. "Remus? Now that's a story I want to hear…" he paused and turned back toward Kate. "…tomorrow, though. For now, I have other plans."

"All of Gryffindor is either in their dorm rooms or the hospital wing – for the night. Lils and I will make sure that no one comes down from the dorms," James smiled.

Sirius felt his heart swell with appreciation and affection for his friends. "No chance any of the 'patients' will recover quickly enough to return to their beds tonight?"

Lily shook her head. "No chance at all. The little charm that hit them will keep their entire bodies blue until dawn."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "How can you be so sure?"

"I cast it. 'night, Kate," Lily hugged her friend lightly then headed up the stairs toward the dorms to keep watch.

Sirius looked over at James who was watching the redhead's retreat with a loopy grin on his face. "You've got two hours, Pads," he said quietly. "After all, Lily and I need to get _some _sleep!" With a nod in Kate's direction, James, too, disappeared.

"Kate," Sirius said softly, his attention back on the young witch who was making her way across the room to him. "_Merlin_, I've missed you!"

Kate smiled as she drew level with the dark-haired young wizard. "I missed you, as well. And how is Delilah this evening?"

Sirius pulled her toward him and felt his heart leap when Kate reached up and wound her arms 'round his neck in return. "Frustrated," he whispered, an evil grin touching his lips.

Kate giggled. "Exactly what I'd expected you to say," she replied.

Sirius leaned forward until his forehead was pressed against Kate's. "Nothing happened," he said quietly.

"Hence, her frustration," Kate whispered back, smiling. She drew back so that she could clearly see his face before adding, "Sirius, I know that you don't want to do this; I'm not angry with you and I'm _not _jealous of Delilah Hornsby!"

Sirius let a small growl escape from his throat. "You've _no reason_ to be! I don't care a whit about her. It's just _you._"

Kate nodded. "Was Arturo there?"

Sirius nodded. "I'm almost certain of it. I didn't see him, but I heard movement a few times and, when we were leaving, I opened the door for Delilah and I'm sure I heard breathing very close to where we were walking. He must have an Invisibility Cloak; I would have seen a shimmer if he'd used a Disillusionment charm."

"Then, phase two begins tomorrow," Kate replied. At his nod, she added. "This could get unpleasant for you very quickly."

"Mmm, I know. But if Ofelia is able to carry out her end, we'll get a bit of a breather," he said, looking into her eyes. "Merlin, you're lovely," he breathed. "And I don't want to spend the two hours we've been given talking about Ofelia or Arturo…."

"… or Delilah," Kate finished. "Nor do I."

"Good," Sirius took a step back and picked up Kate's hand, leading her to the sofa. With a wave of his wand, he refreshed the fire, which immediately leapt up and began crackling merrily. The couple sat close together and Sirius enfolded her in his arms. "_This_ is what I wanted; what I _want_. Just you. _Only you_."

Kate stroked his cheek, then slipped her hand around to the back of his head and gently urged him forward. She had the barest glimpse of a wondrous smile before their lips met and her eyes closed. _Only you_, echoed in her mind as she parted her lips and met Sirius' tongue with her own. They kissed deeply and Kate felt an exquisite tension begin to build low in her belly. She tightened her hold on Sirius, weaving her fingers through his long hair and massaging his scalp gently. Sirius groaned softly in response, wrapping his own arms even tighter about her waist, nibbling her lower lip, then drawing her tongue back into his own mouth as their kiss intensified. He pressed forward gently, easing Kate back against the overstuffed arm of the small sofa and he followed, lying half on her and half against the cushioned back. Eventually, they needed air and Kate was the first to break the kiss. Neither moved for a moment, instead simply looking at each other with slightly glazed expressions.

"Katie," Sirius said softly. "I meant it before when I said that I love you. I do; really."

Kate smiled in response and brushed her hand over his cheek. "I know you do. I love you, too." She paused. "Amazing feeling, this."

"Utterly," he agreed, returning her smile. "Enough breathing; I'm going to kiss you again." And he did, silencing her soft laughter at once. As he kissed Kate, Sirius felt his body respond as it had not with Delilah and he knew, pressed against her as he was, that Kate could undoubtedly feel it as well. He broke the kiss then, breathing deeply before dropping a light trail of kisses across her cheek, down the line of her jaw and to the side of her neck. Kate shifted beneath him as the tension inside her began to grow stronger. She could feel Sirius' arousal pressed firmly against her hip and the thought that she – _she _– could do this to him made her catch her breath.

Sirius brought his mouth to the delicate shell of her ear and he nipped the soft lobe gently. "Katie," he whispered raggedly, pressing more firmly against her. Kate shifted beneath him slightly, earning another low groan from the now very aroused wizard. Her movement brought his thigh in closer contact with her center and Kate gasped at the feeling this provoked. "Sirius," she sighed, closing her eyes as she kissed his temple, and raised her hips slightly to intensify that feeling again. Suddenly, Kate felt Sirius lift himself off her and when she opened her eyes, he was sitting with his back against the cushions, face flushed and chest rising and falling quickly.

"Sirius?" Kate questioned, watching him as she, too, sat up.

"I had to stop," he said breathlessly. "If I hadn't, I don't think I would have been able to. I _know _you're not ready. And even if you were, I don't want your first time to be on the Common Room sofa." Sirius shifted slightly and bit his lip. "Contrary to my reputation, I'm not _that _big a git!"

Kate reached over and brushed a piece of hair from his forehead. "I don't think you're a git at all. I'm sorry I let things go as far as they did; I got quite carried away as well."

Sirius turned his head to look at her and he gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry, Katie. I just…"

Kate edged closer to the uncomfortable wizard and kissed his cheek. "I know. Truly." She turned his face toward her and kissed his lips tenderly. "_I'm _sorry," Kate whispered.

Sirius groaned. "Not helping. _Not_."

Kate released him and scooted back to the opposite side of the couch. Both were silent for a while before Kate chuckled. "Care for a game of Exploding Snap? That should be comparatively safe," she teased.

Sirius smiled and reached for her hand, holding it tightly in both of his. "Katie, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't think I can stay here with you tonight and not touch you – not kiss you. And I won't push you in any way, so…"

Kate squeezed his fingers. "So, perhaps we should just say goodnight then. It's alright; I feel the same way." She released his hand and stood and Sirius immediately did the same.

"Can I walk you home?" he asked, giving her a cheeky grin as he offered his arm to her.

Kate laughed. "Absolutely."

When they reached the bottom of the girls' dormitory staircase, Sirius hugged Kate close to him once again. "Good night, Katie," he whispered into her hair. "I love you."

Kate kissed his cheek gently. "I love you, too. Good night."

Sirius watched her up the stairs, and then turned toward his own. He passed James on the landing outside their dorm room and grinned ruefully. "This is _not _easy, Prongs." He spoke quietly, his expression sincere.

James nodded, returning the smile. "But worth the struggle, right, Pads?"

Sirius nodded, his smile softening. "Well worth the struggle." He glanced at the closed door. "Think I'll hit the showers."

James laughed. "I sort of thought you might, mate. I'm heading off to bed. See you at breakfast."

With a nod, Sirius went on ahead, grimacing in discomfort and reminding himself that this was all very worthwhile indeed.


	28. Plans Executed

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Suggestive behavior, language and some sexual content.

Chapter 28 – Plans Executed

Sirius was the first to notice the arrival of the owls the following morning at breakfast. Swooping low over the four House tables, the birds dropped packages and rolled parchment to students receiving mail. Striving to appear disinterested, Sirius glanced over at where Ofelia was seated at the Slytherin table. He felt his heart skip a beat when one of the school owls slowed over her table. As he watched, however, the owl dropped a small package on the plate of the student to Ofelia's right, then rose majestically into the air and left the Hall.

Sirius turned his attention back to his untouched breakfast. "Bloody _hell_," he muttered.

"Padfoot?" James shot a sidelong glance at his friend.

"_Bloody_ owl passed her by," Sirius said through gritted teeth. "I was sure she'd have gotten an answer from that bloke, Michael."

"Did," James confirmed around a mouthful of bacon. "Lily told me that his owl came directly to their dorm window just after dawn." He paused. _Three … two … one…_

"And?" Sirius spat, his voice louder than before.

"_And_ he will meet her, as planned," James finished, smiling to himself and adding, "_and _you might want to keep your voice down."

"Bloody prat," Sirius muttered, but his voice held less malice than before. "I don't suppose you could have just told me that straight away, could you?"

James nodded his head. "Could have done, I s'pose. More fun to rile you up a bit, though."

Sirius landed a half-hearted kick to James' shin. "Did Miss Evans happen to tell you if 'big brother' shared his nocturnal adventures with Ofelia?"

James glanced over at the Slytherin table before answering. "He appears to be doing so as we speak. Looks like things are moving right along, mate."

Sirius followed his friend's gaze and saw Arturo in deep discussion with his sister. The Slytherin wizard's face was flushed and intense and he was obviously pressing his point quite adamantly. Ofelia, in contrast, was pale and silent as she sat, hands folded on the table, as her brother spoke.

XXXXXXXX

"Ingrate!" Arturo finished furiously. "He never had any intention of changing his ways!"

He waited for Ofelia to speak and when she did not do so, Arturo leaned toward her across the table. "Have you _nothing _to say to this?"

Ofelia lifted her eyes to look at him and finally spoke. "I do not doubt what you said you saw, Arturo," she said quietly. "But, he refused this witch's advances. Yes, they kissed, but you yourself said that he stopped her from going further. That seems to speak positively of his intentions."

Arturo's eyebrows rose and his face reddened even further in his anger. "Ofelia, how can you come to that conclusion? He made arrangements to meet with her today – in an out-of-the-way location. It is clearly a meeting for illicit purposes!"

Ofelia's pale face suffused with color. "And, as someone who has enjoyed the talents of Miss Hornsby, you would certainly be an expert on 'illicit meetings', would you not?" Holding up her hand to silence her brother, Ofelia continued, "That question does not require an answer. I will tell you _this_, Arturo: you were skulking about the Astronomy Tower, hoping to overhear information useful to you. Given your frame of mind and the distance between you, you could have easily misunderstood what they said to each other. You said that they were standing close together. It is possible that Sirius said something that you could not overhear. It is further possible that Sirius intends to end things with this young woman and suggested this little rendezvous as a ruse to get her to meet with him. Did you ever stop to think that he could have _heard_ you moving around and set up this whole _meeting_ to make you appear foolish? He isn't as stupid as you believe him to be, Arturo!"

"And I am not as gullible as _you _appear to be," the young man retorted. "Or perhaps you, too, have fallen for the Black charm!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ofelia scoffed, taking a small sip of her tea before continuing. "I just don't believe in making assumptions when so many facts are still unclear. I will believe what you've said is true only after it has been proven to me."

Arturo's smile was triumphant. "Then you will not mind accompanying me to Black's chosen spot at 1 pm today, will you? After all, you've just said that I must prove these facts to you, did you not? How else can I do so?"

"Very well. Borrow Lucius' cloak again this afternoon and I will go with you – if only to prove that _you _are the one who is mistaken!" Ofelia paused. "Of course, you know where this room is located?"

Arturo flushed. "I do. I will meet you outside our Common Room at 12:30 pm. We will plan to arrive well in advance of Black to avoid detection." Ofelia nodded and rose from her place. Before she could quit the Hall, Arturo reached out and gently caught her wrist. "I assure you, Ofelia; you will know the truth about Black before the day is through. As a result, you will be spared being shackled to him for the rest of your life."

Ofelia smiled and pulled lightly away from her brother. "I am going along with you to prove a point, Arturo. Do not be confused, however. I am completely aware that it is not _my_ lifelong happiness that concerns you the most; you are determined that our family never be linked to the Blacks. Delivering to Father proof of Sirius' bad behavior and thereby ending the contract has become more than your goal; it is your obsession. Given the lengths to which you are going, I wonder just how much Delilah Hornsby's involvement with Sirius is motivating _you_!" And, with that, the young witch walked swiftly toward the door.

XXXXXXXX

Sundays at Hogwarts most typically found students amusing themselves out on the grounds, finishing up homework assignments in the library or unoccupied classrooms or lounging about in their dormitories or Common Rooms. The Marauders – plus Lily, Kate and Ofelia – found themselves in a location that had truly become their 'home away from home': the Room of Requirement. Today, it had taken the form of a compact Common Room, appropriately sporting the colors of both Gryffindor and Slytherin in honor of those present.

"So, he took the bait, eh?" Sirius asked of Ofelia from his place on the floor at Kate's feet.

Ofelia smiled. "Indeed, he did. He plans to have us firmly tucked away well before your arrival."

"Do you know what he plans to do once Sirius and Delilah arrive?" Kate wanted to know.

"I suspect that he will wait to let nature take its course, as it were," Ofelia answered. "I would suspect that my brother will reveal our presence at the appropriate moment." She turned her attention back to Sirius. "Are you prepared for that moment?"

Sirius nodded, running his hand over his hair. "I am. How about you? Ready for a bit of high drama at your end of the stage?"

Ofelia returned his somewhat tentative smile. "I believe so. How do you think Delilah will respond?"

"Oh, I don't reckon it will be particularly attractive," Sirius replied. "However, given that she was two-timing me with Arturo – and he's the one who will discover our little tryst – she should lose her voice quickly enough. Well," he paused, a thoughtful look on his face, "perhaps she won't _lose it_, actually; she just might find herself more intent on justifying her actions to your brother than screaming at me. Should prove interesting, either way."

"Ofelia, Lily mentioned that you received a reply from Michael," Kate said.

Ofelia's face lit up and she smiled warmly at the other witch. "Yes; his owl came just this morning. He will meet me as we discussed."

"I'm so happy for you," Kate replied. "You must be very much looking forward to your visit."

For a moment, it seemed to Kate that Ofelia's smile slipped a bit and her face lost a touch of its confident appearance. The change was momentary, however and when the girl began to speak again, Kate wondered if it had happened at all.

"Oh, yes, I am; very much indeed. It seems like forever since I've seen him."

Kate knew what it was like to have the person you loved out of reach. Almost without thinking, Kate dropped her hand to Sirius' shoulder; he immediately reached up and covered it with his own.

Ofelia watched the easy affection between the two and once again resolved to do her part to make this plan work. _As if I haven't reason enough on my own. _Kate's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"How long has it been since you've spoken?" Kate asked, suddenly feeling a bit of kinship for the young woman before her.

"Just before I went home for the holiday," was the response. "We took horses for a ride on his family's estate. We stayed out for the entire afternoon; it was lovely." Ofelia's expression was wistful.

"You'll have the whole of the afternoon with him next Saturday as well," Kate reminded her, smiling. "And, hopefully, things will work out for you so you can have many more like that one."

To Kate's surprise, Ofelia's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. "I cannot dare to hope for that," she said, her voice tremulous. "It would be too difficult if it did not happen."

Sirius squeezed Kate's hand and rose. He walked over to the emotional young woman and sat next to her, patting her arm somewhat awkwardly "It will be ok, you'll see," he said in an attempt to bring her some degree of comfort. "Think positively."

"Yeah, think positively," James chimed in, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "It could be worse, after all; you could be going to Hogsmeade with _Malfoy_!"

Ofelia gave the messy-haired young wizard a crooked smile.

"Or _James_," Peter piped up, ducking the pillow his friend lobbed at his head. Everyone laughed and the more somber mood was, indeed, broken.

Eventually, Remus glanced at his watch and looked over at Sirius. "Lunch time, mate," he said, rising.

Sirius nodded. "Show time, more like," he replied. "Might just as well get going."

"Good luck," Kate said, walking over and kissing Sirius' cheek lightly. "I won't have the chance to do that after lunch."

Sirius smiled and brushed his lips against hers gently. "Later, perhaps," he whispered.

"Perhaps," Kate agreed, walking with him toward the door, where the others were gathered.

Peter stuck his head out side the door and peered down both ends of the corridor. There was no one to be seen. Motioning to his friends, the group hurried away from the Room and toward the staircases that would lead them down several floors to The Great Hall.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius slipped inside the darkened classroom at 12:45 pm. The light scent of Ofelia's perfume informed him of her presence – and, by association, Arturo's – when he passed a collection of classroom chairs pushed against one wall. The fat candle was where he had left it after his first meeting with Ofelia and he lit it with a wave of his wand. Turning back toward the two overstuffed chairs in the center of the room, Sirius closed his eyes and murmured a soft incantation. The two chairs were immediately transformed into an overly large, very squashy sofa. _That should make Delilah happy_, Sirius thought to himself. He shivered. _Place could use a bit of warming up_, he thought as he perched on the edge of the transformed sofa. Sirius murmured the appropriate incantation and smiled at the instant warmth that permeated his immediate area. _Sorry, Ofelia_, he thought to himself. _I think old Arturo would suss it out if I cast one in your general direction._

"Sirius?"

The feminine voice from the direction of the doorway roused him.

"Back here," he called, standing.

"How…_cozy_," Delilah murmured, walking up to him as she had the night before. Glancing at the sofa, she brought a sultry gaze back up to Sirius' face. "And furnished to meet our needs."

"Convenient, isn't it? Well, really, it wasn't _here _at all; I had to transfigure a couple of …" Sirius trailed off, realizing that he was at risk of wandering dangerously off course. _Get_ on _with it_, hissed a little voice in the back of his brain.

"A man who thinks of everything," Delilah purred, putting her arms around his neck and winding her fingers through his hair. "Lucky _me_." And with that, she pulled his face to hers, devouring his lips aggressively.

_Here we go_, Sirius thought, putting his hands on the girl's waist and guiding her backward until she fell onto the sofa. Standing over her, Sirius took in her slightly puffy lips and triumphant smirk for a single moment, then joined her, covering her body with his own. He lowered his mouth to hers and focused on the pure physical aspect of what he was doing; Sirius knew that if he allowed any thought to come into play, his ability to carry on the charade would be lost. As the kiss began to accelerate, Sirius felt Delilah shift to allow him to more comfortably fit against her. She raised her hips from the deep cushion in an effort to eliminate every sliver of space between their two bodies. Operating completely on autopilot, Sirius enhanced the friction by grinding his hips downward and, in response, earned a sharp cry from the witch beneath him. Sirius tore his lips from hers and began nibbling and teasing the side of her neck, allowing the rhythmic press of their bodies to further stoke his arousal. When Delilah's volume began to escalate, Sirius reestablished their previous lip lock; the sound of her voice was grating on his nerves – and having an extremely detrimental effect on his ardor. It wouldn't matter; moments later, the sound of a very different voice caused the couple to break apart.

"Traitorous _bastard_!"

As Sirius stood, he found himself staring into the very self-satisfied face of Arturo Bullstrode. In the space of a moment, the Black heir had fixed an expression of supreme haughtiness on his face. "Are you implying that I have, in some way, betrayed _you_, Bullstrode?"

"You betray _all _Purebloods, Black."

Sirius snorted disdainfully. "Spoken like a true Slytherin. I suppose now you'll go running off to find Ofelia and tell her all about my little indiscretion."

Smiling coldly, the Slytherin swept aside the remainder of the borrowed Invisibility Cloak to reveal his younger sister, whose face flashed hurt and embarrassment before she was able to clear her expression. _Nice touch_, Sirius thought appreciatively, realizing that Arturo was not their only audience; Delilah, too, had to be convinced that this playacting was, in fact, truth.

"Well, _that _was low – even for _you_," Sirius said to Arturo, allowing his arrogance to slip slightly as he spoke. Sirius watched Ofelia's gaze move toward the witch seated on the sofa behind him. He turned to find Delilah returning Ofelia's frank stare.

"Why don't you head back to your Common Room, Delilah?" he said quietly. _This should prove interesting_.

Delilah didn't move, opting instead to cross her arms over her chest and thrust her chin out defiantly. "Why should _I_ go? You and I planned this little get-together and, unless you've invited these two without telling me, I think _they_ should be running along. Really, who do the two of you think you _are_?"

Sirius winced at her tone but before he could speak, Ofelia's voice cut through the thick air. "_I _am Sirius' fiancée," she said, her tone icier than Sirius could ever remember hearing it.

He heard Delilah suck in a sharp breath and then she was standing in front of him. While Ofelia's demeanor was cold as ice, Delilah's entire countenance was pure fire. "_Fiancée?_" she hissed. "You are _engaged_?"

Sirius met her furious gaze steadily. "It happened over the holidays, Delilah. Our families arranged it …"

"And you didn't think to mention it to me – even in _passing_? I'll bet you told those _friends_ of yours! Tell me, what does _Kate Morgan_ think of the news, eh?"

"I've no idea," he replied. "As you well know, that relationship has ended."

"Yes," Delilah bit back. "Ended because she wanted to have an exclusive relationship with you and, as you so bluntly told _me_, you weren't a one-witch sort of wizard!" She narrowed her eyes and looked beyond Sirius to where Ofelia stood. "Apparently, you weren't telling _any of us_ the truth, were you, Sirius? You agreed…"

Sirius cut her off. "I agreed to _nothing_. You're right about one thing, though: I told you that Kate broke up with me because she was looking for someone who was ready to settle for a relationship with just one person. _You're_ the one who said that you'd take what you could get and hope to convert me later on."

"But you never said _anything _about _her_," Delilah continued, pointing abruptly in Ofelia's direction. "You never said that there was no _chance_ that we could…"

"Be together permanently?" Sirius finished, wryly. "Why would I have done? You were obviously fine with _'taking what you could get'_ …"

"… And _you _were certainly happy to go along with it, weren't you?" Delilah cried. "You're no better than your reputation paints you!"

Ofelia had been listening quietly and now stepped forward, shrugging off the hand Arturo placed on her arm to stop her. "Do you know, Miss Hornsby why I find your outrage particularly laughable?"

"_Ofelia_," Arturo's voice was quieter now, but held a distinct warning note.

Sirius watched Ofelia carefully. _What are you on about, Ofelia? _

The blonde witch continued as if Arturo had not uttered a word. "You knew of Sirius' reputation before you pursued him." She held up a hand to forestall the stream of words that were threatening to fall from the other girl's lips. "Yes, _pursued him_. I had occasion to observe you once before today. It was in the courtyard, I believe. While Sirius clearly enjoyed himself, you were hardly shy and retiring. You are also no first year and therefore have had ample opportunity to observe Sirius _and _to hear rumors of his reputation. That you would have expected to have an exclusive relationship is preposterous. But, that is not why I find your attitude amusing. I am struck by the irony of a situation in which _you _seem to prize fidelity; after all, have _you_ not also been unfaithful to Sirius?"

Delilah's eyes widened and she was unable to stop herself from glancing at Arturo. Sirius had the same problem and, as his eyes turned to the other wizard, he saw him close his eyes as his face paled. _Not something you necessarily wanted _me _to hear, eh, Bullstrode? This should be interesting_, Sirius thought to himself.

"Delilah," Sirius said quietly, "is this true? Not that I care, mind; shag whomever you'd like. I have no claim on you. I do, however, resent being shrieked at for a lack of full disclosure when you're guilty of the same thing. And _you_, Bullstrode; daring to refer to me in such unkind ways when you, too, are guilty of – what was it? – '_betraying all Purebloods_'?"

A strangled cry of indignation drew everyone's attention to Delilah who stood, wide eyed – apparently too angry to form sentences. Ultimately unable to produce anything intelligible, she snapped her mouth closed and lowered herself to the sofa, the three other students caught in her unrelenting glare.

"Sorry, Delilah, but technically, your mother's a Squib," Sirius said. "While _I_ don't mind that, there aren't too many Purebloods who would agree with me. Old Arturo's family, for example, would probably go spare if they knew. After all, that's why this whole marriage thing has been arranged."

Arturo's color had returned in a rush at Sirius' snide commentary and, unlike Delilah, he found his voice after only a few unsuccessful attempts. "How _dare _you compare my behavior to _yours_? It is not the same thing at all!"

"No, Arturo," Ofelia's voice rose slightly as she strove to regain control of the discussion. "Your behavior is much, much worse. You have – not once, but _twice_ that I know of – deliberately concealed yourself, tracked Sirius down and spied on his activities with Miss Hornsby. You have told me that you did so in order to be able to report him to Father and terminate this agreement with the Blacks. An agreement that has nothing whatsoever to do with you – and everything to do with _me_."

The room had grown quiet in the face of Ofelia's comments. Sirius, for his part, was somewhat taken aback. This was _not _how this plan had been shaped. Ofelia was to have become a bit emotional about Sirius' apparent lack of interest in complying with the terms of the marriage contract. Delilah's involvement in the plot was exclusively as a ploy to get Arturo to the Astronomy Tower to overhear the plan for their meeting the following day. The fact that she and Ofelia's brother were involved at any level had also never come into play. _Time to get this back on track_, Sirius thought to himself.

"Ofelia," he said. "I haven't made any secret of the fact that I don't want to be forced into marriage – _any _marriage, but I'm sorry if I've hurt you or caused you any embarrassment. I will completely understand if your Father chooses to end the contract once you tell him about this."

Ofelia looked at him, her eyes glittering. "You have not hurt me, Sirius. You are quite correct; you made your position about this contract very clear right from the off. I, too, never envisioned being forced into marriage with someone my parents chose. However, I have no intention of bringing this unfortunate situation to my Father's attention."

"Ofelia, now that you've _seen_; now that you _know_ that his behavior has not changed in any way, _I_ can go to Father. This behavior is in direct violation of the terms of the marriage agreement; Father will contact the Blacks and this charade will be _over_." Arturo placed his hands on his sister's shoulders and gently turned her to face him. "You can be released from this arrangement. Our family will not be forced to affiliate with the Blacks!"

Ofelia shook her head. "You will stay out of this, Arturo. You will _not _go to Father with anything connected to this matter."

_What in bloody hell is she doing?_ Sirius strove to keep his rapidly escalating temper from showing on his face. "Ofelia, can we talk for a moment?" He glanced around at Arturo and Delilah before turning his attention back to Ofelia. "Alone?"

Arturo advanced toward Sirius, hands clenched at his sides. "Anything you have to say to my sister can be said in front of _me_."

"Arturo, go," Ofelia said calmly. "I will catch you up later and we will speak further."

"Delilah, please," Sirius turned toward the other witch, who rose and, giving him a scathing look, left the room without further comment.

"Ofelia," Arturo began, obviously determined to do whatever he could to remain present for this discussion.

Ofelia would have none of it, however. "No. Leave. Please."

With one last malevolent look at Sirius, Arturo crossed the room. As he reached the door, Ofelia called to him once more. "One further word of advice, Arturo," she said. "Do not presume to send any owls to London. I can assure you that if you try to make Father aware of what has happened here tonight, I will send my own report – about your half-blood dalliances. Am I clear?"

Arturo's face drained of color and he nodded once before turning on his heel and exiting the room. Once the resounding _slam_ of the door had abated, Sirius turned to the young woman in front of him.

"Would you mind telling me what in _bloody fuck_ you think you're doing?" he growled.

Ofelia walked past him and sat down on the sofa, gesturing him to do the same. Sirius shook his head. "I prefer to remain standing. I would also prefer it if you would start explaining yourself. I trusted you. We all did. We had a plan. We neither of us wants this marriage. This whole mess was designed to get us _both_ out of it with as little trouble as possible."

Ofelia sighed. "I know."

"And?"

"And I told you at the outset that I had begun to formulate a plan of my own, you will recall," Ofelia said quietly. "Sirius, it will still happen. My father will still be told;

"Really? And when will that take place?"

"After the Hogsmeade trip," she replied, rising. "It's only another week, after all. It's not that long."

Sirius' face showed his confusion and he reached out to catch her arm. "Why?"

"You'll have to trust me," Ofelia told him, pulling away gently.

"That's not good enough."

Ofelia looked back at him. "There's been a development; I need more time. It's only a week," she said again. "I promise that I'll owl my father myself after next weekend. Please."

Sirius searched her face for several moments. "Fine. But only until next weekend."


	29. Unexpected Developments

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 29 – Unexpected Developments

Ofelia stayed behind after Sirius had left, citing the need for time alone to think. She wasn't fooled by his agreement to delay notifying her father of his continued libidinous activities. Sirius' anger was barely contained; Ofelia had put a very large dent in her credibility with him and, she was certain, with the rest of the Gryffindor crowd. _I have no choice_, she thought to herself, for what had to have been the hundredth time since receiving Michael's enthusiastic response that he would meet her as she had requested.

She made her way over to the large window overlooking the lake and dropped down onto the dusty window seat. She waved her wand at the grimy glass, muttering a quiet, "_Scourgify_"; immediately, the view cleared, revealing the snow-covered grounds beneath a lead-gray sky. Ofelia watched the students tramping about without really registering the activity. Her mind raced with all that had happened and all that was to come – both as a result of her last-minute modification and her need to prepare for Hogsmeade.

"It's cold in here."

Ofelia started at the sound of another person in the room, her hand tightening on her wand reflexively. She heard a murmured incantation and soon felt the delicious aftermath of a warming charm.

"Thank you," Ofelia said quietly as Lily Evans stepped out of the shadows near the doorway. "How did you know I'd still be here?"

Lily walked over and sat at the opposite side of the window seat. "Well, Sirius came back to the Common Room with a face like a thunder cloud. You weren't with him and when I asked about you, he managed to suggest that I check here before storming up to the dormitory." At Ofelia's slightly chagrined expression, Lily added, "He'll be fine; Remus, James and Peter are with him." Fiddling with a tear in the ratty seat cushion, Lily allowed silence to settle in the room.

"It obviously didn't go well," Lily finally spoke again.

Ofelia shook her head slightly. "It was never going to _'go well'_, Lily. That's the nature of confrontations – of exposure."

"Not exactly an answer to my question, however true that statement may be. What happened?"

"Arturo was _beyond_ condescending to Sirius. Delilah was suitably outraged, particularly when I revealed the fact that Sirius and I were engaged. She, predictably, spiraled downward from there," Delilah reported.

"I wasn't under the impression that revealing the engagement was part of the scenario. Wasn't it just supposed to be a simple discovery of Delilah and Sirius in a compromising situation? Wasn't that supposed to be enough to carry Arturo to the Owlry?"

"It was," the other girl acknowledged. "I wanted more time, however."

Lily's eyebrows rose. "You '_wanted more time_' for _what_, exactly? Ofelia, I thought both you and Sirius were of like minds in this; I thought neither of you wanted this marriage." She paused as a thought occurred to her and when next she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Ofelia, you can't … your feelings for Sirius can't have changed – have they?"

"No, no; of course not," Ofelia said. "I … oh, Lily, if _only_ I could …" her voice trailed off and she returned her gaze to the window once more.

"If only you could – _what_?" Lily's voice was soft. When no response was immediately forthcoming, she added, "Ofelia, I would like you to listen to me very carefully. When Sirius first approached us about helping you with this situation, there was a great deal of reluctance – and understandably so. Gryffindor and Slytherin have never seen eye to eye in my experience with them and, for our group, we have the added complication of one Sirius Black. Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to be precise, every member of which has been sorted into Slytherin…until Sirius came along. He, as you probably know, despises everything his family embraces. That several of his cousins – not to mention his younger brother – currently reside in Slytherin only fuels the distrust and hatred. Slytherin. Gryffindor. Names of Houses, that's all they are. A person isn't deceitful, sly or Dark simply by virtue of being sorted into Slytherin – no more than being sorted into Gryffindor automatically makes one brave or loyal. We are who and what we are because of what we hold in our hearts; because of what we believe in. I agreed to help you because I know what it's like to be judged because of a label, because of a name. In my case, it's "Muggle-born", in yours, "Slytherin". I didn't go into this assuming that you would fit the Slytherin stereotype, Ofelia. But you came very close to true Slytherin behavior in changing the plan today without telling anyone. That's the problem, you realize: you did it without telling any of us – not even Sirius. He hates surprises; hates them with a passion. Had you gone to him beforehand and talked it through, I feel certain that Sirius would have understood and agreed to a one-week delay. It isn't a very long delay, after all. But now, you have a very angry wizard on your hands - one whose trust has been compromised. If I were in your shoes, I'd try to work this out – sooner rather than later."

Ofelia listened intently to all that Lily said. "I can only apologize for what I've done."

"You can't even confide in _him_?" Lily's tone was slightly exasperated.

Ofelia rose. "_Especially_ not him. I must go. I also need to speak with my brother – who handled this entire situation only slightly worse than did Sirius." With that, she walked quietly from the room, leaving Lily Evans staring thoughtfully after her.

XXXXXXXX

"A week isn't that long, Padfoot," Remus tried to reason with the frustrated wizard who was pacing their dormitory floor at a rate destined to wear the varnish off the floorboards.

"It's not the _week_, Remus," Sirius growled. "It's that she changed everything on her own without telling me."

Remus sighed. "Why don't you talk to her? Try to find out what happened, if it's so important to you. Otherwise, I'm afraid that you're just going to have to swallow your anger and wait the additional week."

"He's right, Pads," James chimed in.

"She won't bloody tell me _anything_!" Sirius fumed. "Never does."

"Maybe she likes you," Peter suggested around the chocolate frog he'd jammed into his mouth. At the silence that greeted his comment, he chewed up the remainder of his chocolate. "Well, that might be why she won't explain things to you; she's embarrassed."

A soft knock on the door spared Peter what was certain to be the full force of Sirius' temper, as the latter crossed the room and yanked the door open. "What the blood … _Kate!_" Sirius' voice changed when he saw Kate standing in the hallway. "What are _you_ doing up here?"

"I heard what happened," she began, glancing beyond Sirius to where the other three Marauders were now standing.

"I believe that's our cue, men," James said. "Excuse us, Kate."

"Come in," Sirius said when the sound of the boys' pounding footsteps died away. He held the door open for Kate to pass, ducking his head into the hallway and looking right and left to make sure his friends really _had _taken their leave. Satisfied that they would not be interrupted, Sirius closed the door and turned to find Kate standing directly in front of him.

"So, Ofelia stopped Arturo from notifying the family about your … indiscretions," she said.

"For a week, anyway," Sirius confirmed. "She said that she'll owl her father herself after Hogsmeade."

"After she talks to Michael."

He nodded, reaching for her hand.

"A week isn't so very long, Sirius. We've survived so far," Kate smiled, squeezing his hand. "Do you know why Ofelia wants to postpone?"

Sirius' face tightened. "No clue. She just appeared from under the Invisibility Cloak and changed the entire bloody thing!"

Kate brought her hand up to cup his cheek. "Ofelia didn't change '_the entire bloody thing_', you know. She showed up, as she was supposed to do; she was appropriately upset seeing you and Delilah together and it appears that she made sure Arturo didn't do you any physical harm. Sirius, you hate it when anyone changes a plan without telling you. You _hate _not being in control. _That's _your biggest problem with this. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be angered by it, but I think you should keep it in perspective. Talk to her, yes; try to come to some understanding about why it happened and make sure she knows that it can't happen again - certainly. But the result of today's change isn't insurmountable. So, we have to wait another week. We're getting good at finding places to hide, aren't we?" She smiled softly at him and Sirius responded by bringing his hand up to cover hers, then turning his face to kiss her palm. He nuzzled her hand for a few moments.

Kate shivered at the feelings his kiss and caress produced and was both relieved and disappointed when he brought her hand down to clasp it in both of his. Sirius' eyes communicated his regret. "I don't think this is necessarily an ideal place to hide," he said.

Kate nodded. "No, I suppose it really isn't," she said. "Listen, I should be going. I just wanted to see you for a moment…"

"…Reassure yourself I hadn't hit anyone with the Killing Curse, eh?"

"Something like that, perhaps. I'll see you at dinner, yes?"

Sirius leaned in and kissed her lips gently. "Yes. Of course, you'll be at the opposite end of the table – _yet again_."

"Hardly the opposite end; just far enough away to keep up appearances, after all." Kate gently disentangled their hands and moved toward the door.

"One more week, Katie."

"One more week."

As the door closed behind her, Sirius carded his fingers through his hair, exhaling sharply. _As long as whatever motivated Ofelia doesn't have more far-reaching implications_, he thought to himself.

XXXXXXXX

Dinner was a rather quiet affair – a condition that seemed to extend itself to the Slytherin table as well as its Gryffindor counterpart. Sirius noted that a rather abbreviated conversation had taken place between the Bullstrodes and, although Arturo did not appear entirely appeased, his demeanor was less hostile than earlier in the day. For her part, Ofelia looked to be quite subdued and ate little of her dinner. After pushing food around her plate for a while, she left, Snape's eyes following her every step of the way from the table to the doorway of the Great Hall. As his own appetite had also disappeared, Sirius soon rose, telling his friends he would see them in the Tower later. Sprinting up to the dormitory, the boy grabbed his heavy woolen cloak, Gryffindor scarf and the expensive, fur lined, leather gloves Andromeda had sent him for Christmas and set off across the grounds.

Sufficiently garbed to protect himself from the cold night air, Sirius tramped through the snow – away from the school and toward the large rock formations at the edge of the Black Lake. His heavy boots crashed through the thick, frozen crust that covered several inches of powdery snow. By the time he was approaching the large, flat rock that was his favorite place to "ponder things", Sirius was looking forward to casting a warming charm on its surface and climbing up to rest for awhile.

He was surprised to discover that he was not alone. Ofelia was sitting on one side of the generous stone surface, her gaze fixed out toward the Lake.

"Sirius," she greeted him without turning around.

"Ofelia," he responded in kind. "You've discovered my favorite 'hiding place'", he confessed. "May I join you?"

Silently, the girl gestured to the empty space beside her and Sirius quickly made himself comfortable.

"From what are you hiding?" Ofelia asked, finally turning to look at him.

Sirius shook his head. "Interesting that you didn't ask 'from _whom_'", he commented. "Actually, I think I'm more interested in a quiet place to think than actually _hiding_ from anyone; tonight, anyway. What about you?"

She quietly renewed her own warming charm before answering. "Much the same as you are – solitude. I had planned to come looking for you before curfew, however. I wanted to talk about what happened earlier."

"Remus and James suggested I do the same thing. It would appear that it's fate we're both here at the same time."

A shriek from the direction of the Lake startled Ofelia and she jumped sharply, "What…?"

"Giant Squid," Sirius replied. "I'll wager it caught a nice, fat bird that didn't particularly wish to _be_ caught."

"No creature really wants to be caught, does it?"

Sirius sat quietly, sensing that Ofelia had more to say. He wasn't disappointed.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay with the plan we agreed upon," she said quietly.

"A very wise witch told me that it was less the one-week delay that bothered me than the fact you'd changed things up," he replied.

"Lily."

"Kate. She's right. I hate surprises," he confessed, half turning to see her face in the dim light from his wand. "Why?"

"Why did I do it?"

"Well, that _would _be the question of the moment, wouldn't it?"

Ofelia was silent for several moments. "I am nervous about seeing Michael next weekend. It has been close to 2 months now since we've spoken. I think I half-expected him to turn me down because I'd left without communicating anything of my departure. For all I knew, he thought I had been leading him on, so to speak, and had tired of him. When the owl returned with his acceptance, I suddenly realized that I am in a somewhat similar situation with him that you found yourself in with Kate. I have a fiancé, after all. I was quite unattached when I was at Beauxbatons – when we were seeing each other."

Sirius nodded. "There's more to what happened this afternoon than a bad case of nerves over seeing a former boyfriend."

Ofelia exhaled sharply. "Fine. I did not want my father to decide to remove me from Hogwarts before the weekend - before the Hogsmeade visit. If Arturo had sent the type of message I feared he would, this is not beyond the scope of logic. I _cannot_ go home without speaking with Michael," Ofelia was adamant.

"Why didn't you say something to me this morning? In the Common Room before lunch?" Sirius wanted to know. "You had plenty of opportunity; did you think I wouldn't understand?"

"I know how much you want this to be over – as do I. With so little time between Michael's reply and our confrontation with Delilah and Arturo, I didn't want to chance a quarrel that could have carried over into that meeting. I was wrong; I know that now. But I was afraid. If something had slipped inside that room, Arturo's message could have contained information about Michael as well as what we wanted him to report about you. I couldn't risk that. Michael is not a Pureblood; the results would have been disastrous for us," Ofelia's voice reverberated on the still night air. "I couldn't risk it," she said again.

Sirius nodded silently, thinking about all that Ofelia had just told him. It seemed to make sense – overall – but the young wizard couldn't shake the feeling that there was something left unsaid, something more to her story than she was divulging. He turned it over in his mind several times but could not identify the cause of his unease. Finally, Sirius shrugged and put it down to a natural reaction to having Ofelia change their plan with no advance warning. _I'm probably going to be second-guessing her from now on_, he thought, wearily.

"Right," his firm tone caught Ofelia's attention immediately. "For the record, Ofelia, I'm not sure that I quite believe everything you've said tonight. Well, it's not that I don't believe the things you've _said_, exactly; it's more that I'm convinced there's quite a bit that you've left _unsaid_. _Don't_," Sirius shook his head, having heard Ofelia take a deep breath and knowing that she was about to interrupt. "I'm not interested in another round of '_I can't say more; you're going to have to trust me, Sirius_.'" He looked over at her sharply. "The fact is that I _don't_ trust you; not anymore. But, overall, what you _have_ said tonight – the part about fearing that your father would pull you out of here before you got to Hogsmeade, anyway – makes enough sense that I'm not going to push you. But, Ofelia, you _cannot_ do this again. If we agree to handle a situation a certain way, then that's how it's going to be handled. You _cannot _decide to change things up on your own. No independent decisions here. From now on, we do things as we agreed or we discuss alternatives and agree on something new. No more _bloody_ surprises. Agreed?"

Ofelia nodded, relieved that their encounter had been no worse than this; relieved that he believed her enough to move forward – without additional probing. "Agreed," she said quietly.

"Right, then," Sirius jumped down from the rock and held out his hand. "Come on. Even _with _the warming charm, I'm freezing my bits off out here. I'd like to think I might be able to use them again in the future. To that end, I'm heading back to the castle."

Ofelia surprised him with a very small smile as she took his hand and slid down from the rock. She stumbled a bit as she stepped onto the grass then swayed, reaching out and clutching Sirius arm for additional support.

"Hey, steady on," Sirius said, bending so that he could see her face more clearly. "Are you all right?"

Ofelia nodded, but her face was pale. "I'm fine. Dinner with Arturo wasn't very pleasant and I'm afraid that my appetite deserted me." As she finished, her stomach growled audibly.

"Apparently, it's returned full force," Sirius tried not to laugh at her. "Listen, I didn't eat anything, either. Let's go see if we can convince the house elves to rustle us up something."

"But dinner is over by now," she protested as they began to walk toward the brightly lit castle.

"How do you feel about eating in the kitchens?"

Chuckling at her surprised expression, Sirius placed his hand beneath her elbow and they hurried toward the school.

Reaching the entryway some moments later, the pair was immediately greeted by the warmth emanating from the huge fireplace across from the doors. Sirius paused to close the door behind them while Ofelia continued toward the brightly crackling fire to completely thaw. The sound of a rich baritone voice came from the opposite side of the hall. Sirius turned to see Severus Snape come into view, striding purposefully toward the blonde witch.

"Ofelia," he greeted her.

"Severus, how are you?" Ofelia extended her hands toward the flames, flexing her fingers as they warmed.

"I am well, thank you," Sirius could have sworn the great bat gave her a slight bow from the waist. "I've been looking for you since dinner, however; you left the Hall so suddenly that I was concerned."

Ofelia smiled. "I am fine, Severus, truly I am."

"How _touching_," Sirius offered, walking slowly toward where the other two students were standing. "Although I must say that monitoring _my _fiancée's movements is a bit … well, _disturbing_. Have you appointed yourself her guardian?"

Snape's mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed. Ofelia looked over at Sirius and shook her head. "Sirius, there is no need to be unpleasant. Severus is only looking out for my welfare, after all."

"What are _you _doing wandering around down here?" Snape demanded. "I would have thought that you and your rag-tag little band of troublemakers would be on the prowl elsewhere."

"Sorry to disappoint, Snivelly," Sirius was now standing next to Ofelia. "We were taking a stroll on the grounds and wound up by the Lake. Very romantic spot, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know," Snape intoned condescendingly, immediately regretting his words when he saw the smile form on Sirius' lips.

"No, I don't suppose you would, would you? So sorry; forgot myself for a moment. Ofelia," he turned to the now quite annoyed young woman next to him, "shall we finish our discussion somewhere warmer – and more _private_?"

"Severus, thank you for your concern," Ofelia said, as Sirius took her arm and began steering her away. "I truly do appreciate it. Enjoy your evening."

When the couple was walking down the corridor toward the kitchens, Ofelia jerked her elbow from Sirius' grasp. "I don't understand why you must antagonize Severus every single time you see him. His conversation was directed solely toward me, but you had to get involved, didn't you?"

Sirius sighed. "Listen, Ofelia, I'm sorry if I upset you, but Snape and I go way back and it's not a pleasant history. You should have seen enough by now to know that. We hate each other and, believe me, he gives as good as he gets."

The blonde just stood there, arms crossed over her chest, her expression reflecting her irritation with him.

"Come on, you need something to eat. Let's just put this aside and get some dinner, ok? And if Severus Snape should wander into the kitchens while we're there, I promise that I'll completely ignore him, yeah?" Sirius smiled and held out his hand.

Ofelia paused for a moment longer and, while she did not take his hand, she did accompany him down the hall. "I suppose that's progress," she muttered.

XXXXXXXX

As was usually the case when a Hogsmeade weekend was in the offing, the week dragged for those students who planned to make the trek to the village. For Sirius and Ofelia, however, time truly crawled at a snail's pace. For Sirius, the compromise of his trust in the incident with Delilah and Arturo made him increasingly jumpy that something similar might happen in Hogsmeade. Despite Kate's best efforts to calm him, by the time Friday evening arrived, Sirius was convinced that everything was about to go pear-shaped.

Well after curfew, the Marauders, Kate, Lily and Ofelia were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room reviewing the plan for the following day. Sirius was to meet Ofelia by the statue of the One-Eyed Witch at 10 o'clock the following morning. Deciding to risk discovery by Honeyduke's shopkeepers, they would travel along the passageway, through the shop's basement and into the store itself through the trap door in the floor. The boys reckoned that at 10:30, the shopkeepers were not likely to be stirring quite yet and, if they were, the Invisibility Cloak would improve their odds considerably. After making their way to The Three Broomsticks, Ofelia would Floo to the Leaky Cauldron in London – and Michael – while Sirius remained in Hogsmeade, under cover of the Cloak, until his friends arrived. It had already been decided that Kate and Lily would pair off and Remus, James and Peter would pass the time with Sirius. The group would arrange to be at The Three Broomsticks at 4 pm to retrieve Ofelia, cover her with the Cloak and return to the castle – hopefully without Ofelia's discovery.

"You're nervous," Lily whispered to Ofelia when the blonde had failed to respond to a question Kate had asked her.

Ofelia nodded. "I'm nervous that something will go wrong, that we'll be caught or that … that my time with Michael will not go well."

Lily shook her head. "As much as I hate to admit it, Sirius is far too gifted in this department for you to get caught; I think you can put that worry right out of your mind. As far as Michael is concerned, I can't imagine that his enthusiasm has dimmed since he sent his message to you."

Ofelia smiled. "I really cannot imagine that either, Lily. My worry is that his feelings have changed. Wanting to meet me to discover why I left town is one thing; wanting to resume what we had is quite another, after all."

Lily patted Ofelia's arm comfortingly. "How could he _not _want to resume your relationship? After all, if he wanted nothing more than closure, your owl could have given him that."

Ofelia's face brightened upon digesting Lily's words. "I hadn't thought of it from that perspective. Perhaps you are right, after all."

Kate stood from where she had been seated next to Sirius and bent to gather her books from the table. As she did so, Sirius leaned forward and caught her eye. "One more day," he whispered. Kate smiled and kissed his forehead. "One more day," she echoed, adding an almost inaudible, "I love you" against his skin.

"I love you," Sirius whispered back. "Soon I'll be able to scream that at the top of my lungs from the Astronomy Tower."

Kate giggled. "I'd settle for holding hands at The Three Broomsticks in broad daylight with every student in Hogwarts wandering through the village."

Sirius caught her gaze and held it. "Truth? I'd settle for sitting next to you, in _this_ room and holding your hand without worry that someone would see."

"Truth? So would I." Kate kissed him again and straightened. "I think I'm going to bed," she said to the general group. "Lily, I'll see you at breakfast in the morning?"

Lily nodded. "But not before 10. I'm planning on sleeping in tomorrow – starting right now!" And she, too, rose.

After that, it didn't take long for everyone to decide that the activities planned for the following day called for a decent night's sleep. Privately, Sirius thought that he would probably lie awake going over every detail of the plan – and imagining actually being able to _do _the things he had half-joked about with Kate.

Ofelia gathered her things but as she turned, she laid her hand on Lily's arm to detain her.

Inclining her head toward Sirius and Kate, who were standing together at the foot of the girls' dormitory staircase, she said, "That's what I want – with Michael, of course," she whispered.

Lily looked over at the couple across the room and shook her head. "I never would have believed that I'd see Sirius Black completely content to be with just one witch, but just look at him."

"It took the right witch," Ofelia replied. "Kate is definitely the right witch for Sirius."

"As you are the right witch for Michael," Lily smiled.

"Thank you; I can only hope that you're right."

"Go get some sleep. We'll see you tomorrow. Good luck!"

With a nod, Ofelia hurried through the portrait hole and back to her own dormitory.

As Sirius walked back toward his own staircase, he found Remus, James and Peter waiting for him.

"Come on, mate," James slung his arm around his friend's shoulders. "I'm not daft enough to think that you'll get any sleep, but you might as well lie down to worry obsessively about tomorrow."

With a playful punch to his friend's arm, Sirius allowed himself to be led up the stairs.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning dawned cold and clear with weak winter sunlight climbing over the mountains behind the Black Lake.

True to his own prediction, Sirius had finally fallen asleep when the first, faint pink tendrils of sunrise were making an appearance in the sky. Barely an hour later, he was awake, showered, dressed and sitting in a virtually empty Great Hall, hands wrapped around a mug of steaming coffee.

"Well, you certainly look like something the Kneazle dragged in this morning," Remus commented, sitting across from his friend and pouring himself an equally large mug.

Sirius raised his mug in salute. "Cheers, Moony. You know, it's terribly poor form to flaunt your Magical Creatures knowledge so early in the morning – particularly when coupled with insulting commentary about your best mate!"

Remus snorted into his coffee. "Just truthful observation, Pads. I heard you moving around well into the wee small hours, as they say. You do look a bit rough for it this morning."

Sirius sighed. "I laid awake most of the night trying to figure out all the ways this thing could go wrong. There's considerable opportunity in the parts we can't control."

"This Michael character, of course."

"Yes – _him_, obviously. I also wonder if Ofelia won't decide she's got a better plan when we're half-way through."

"Logical thing to consider; she did it the last time," Remus said, quietly.

"If you're trying to make me feel better, you're failing miserably," Sirius commented with a smile.

"Well, think about this then: Ofelia is remorseful for her actions, according to what you told us about your chat by the Lake. It's doubtful that much has happened since then to provoke a similar action today. She'll meet with Michael, discuss whatever it is that she needs to discuss, determine whether or not they have a future and then come back here and owl her father, as promised," Remus reached for the coffee pot and refilled both of their now empty mugs.

"I can't help but think that it's just too simple," Sirius shook his head. "That night, down by the Lake, I had the same feeling, but in the bigger picture, everything she said made sense – if taken by itself."

"But…"

"But, I get the feeling that it's what she's _not _saying that's at play here."

"And you don't think it's just because of what she did with Delilah and Arturo? You don't trust her because of it, so you're bound to examine everything she says and does for clues that she'll do it again," the werewolf reasoned.

"So, I'm over-thinking it."

"Probably. Possibly. I just think that you need to focus on the mechanics of what has to happen today – and see what she discloses after we're all back here later on. What time are we meeting in the Room of Requirement?"

"After dinner. We'll have until curfew to dissect the day and, if needed, figure out what's next," Sirius said, rising. "I'm going to go back to the Tower. Maybe I can catch a couple of hours' sleep before I have to meet Ofelia."

"You've got plenty of time. I'll wake you up in a couple of hours if I don't see you," Remus offered.

"Thanks, mate."

Remus watched his friend through the door, then turned his attention back to his coffee – and his thoughts to the questions his conversation with Sirius had raised.

XXXXXXXX

"Sirius?" Ofelia's whisper could barely be heard, but Sirius had seen her through the gauzy film of the Cloak. _Odd how everyone seemed to think that because _you _could not be seen while wearing the garment, _you _were also unable to see those who approached, _Sirius thought wryly.

"Here," he whispered in an effort not to startle the girl as he lifted the hem of the cloak just far enough for her to see the toe of his trainer.

As she walked up to him, Sirius lifted the cloak further, gesturing for Ofelia to stand in front of him. Once she had done so, the young wizard swirled the magical fabric up and over them, allowing it to settle to conceal their bodies completely.

Sirius reached around her and tapped his wand against the statue before them. Slowly, silently, it began to slide, revealing a large, square opening in the floor and a barely visible staircase leading downward into the inky darkness.

"Step carefully," Sirius whispered. "Feel your way down the first six steps. I'll slide the statue back into place and we can cast _Lumos_ so we can see. Yes?"

Ofelia nodded her assent and began to carefully descend the agreed-upon distance. Once she stopped, she heard the pedestal of the statue slide against the stone floor, stopping when it concealed the opening once more.

"Lumos maximus," Sirius said quietly and the staircase was immediately filled with light. "Let's go," he continued.

The two traveled the remaining stairs – no more than two dozen - and were soon standing on the dirt surface of a generously sized tunnel.

"I think we can remove _this_ for now," Sirius said in a normal voice. Once the Cloak had been folded and stuffed into the pocket of his robes, the two began a single-file walk toward Honeyduke's cellar.

"How long does it take to get there?" Ofelia asked, quietly.

"Oh, about twenty minutes," came the reply from the wizard walking in front of her. "A bit shorter than it does to walk there the … well, the _more traditional_ … way."

Ofelia smiled. "It's a more direct route, after all."

Sirius looked back at her and smiled. "It _is_ unless you've got Remus or Peter with you. _Merlin_, it takes those two _forever _to walk past all that chocolate!"

He was rewarded with the light tinkle of Ofelia's laughter before they both fell silent once more and focused on progressing to their destination.

True to Sirius' prediction, some fifteen minutes later, the floor of the tunnel began to rise upward and soon they were faced with a set of stone steps leading up to yet another trap door. Both students climbed to the middle of the steps then paused, listening for any sound above them that might indicate the presence of the shopkeepers. The silence was absolute. Sirius pulled the Cloak from his pockets, settling it over them once again. "_Finite_," he whispered, extinguishing his wand and Ofelia did the same.

Quietly, the two negotiated the remaining steps and Sirius lifted his hands to the trapdoor and gave a firm push; it gave. Opening it only wide enough to allow them to crawl up and onto the floor, Sirius went first then helped Ofelia into the shop. After closing the trap door, Sirius again swept the Invisibility Cloak in place. They crept quietly toward the entrance and at the last moment, Sirius cast "_Silencio" _toward the brass bell before opening the door and shepherding Ofelia into the street.

"We _actually _did it," Ofelia murmured from her position in front of Sirius.

His grin could clearly be heard as he voiced his reply. "As we told you before, you're dealing with _The Marauders_. Of _course_ 'we did it'! Now, let's head over to The Three Broomsticks so you can get to London on time."

As they made their way to Madam Rosmerta's pub, they encountered very few shoppers – and no one from the castle, which made both students very happy indeed. Once inside the pub, they were further gratified to find no one but the proprietress on the immediate premises.

Shedding the Cloak, Sirius and Ofelia approached the smiling face of Madam Rosmerta.

"Sirius Black! And right on time! Hello, dearie; both of you come right this way. I've got the Floo powder restocked and the hearth freshly cleaned. I'm all ready for you."

The cheerful pub owner ushered the two young people into the back room that served as her office. As promised, the hearth was devoid of excess ash and soot and the large Floo pot was filled to the brim with powder.

"Have you traveled by Floo before, dear?" Madam Rosmerta inquired solicitously.

"Yes, ma'am," Ofelia replied.

"Just call me Rosie, no need to stand on formality here! Now dip in and take a nice fist full of Floo powder – _there _you are. Now, off you go!"

Sirius put his hand on Ofelia's arm just as she prepared to step into the hearth. She turned to look at him, a curious look on her face. "Good luck, Ofelia," he said sincerely. "I hope everything works out exactly as you want it to."

Impulsively, Ofelia hugged a very surprised Sirius and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Sirius; for _everything_. I'll Floo back here at 3 pm so we can get back to the school by 4. I promise."

Sirius nodded. "I'll be here." He glanced at his watch. 10:45. "You'd better go before you're late."

Ofelia stepped into the hearth and turned around to face the room. "The Leaky Cauldron – London!" she called clearly and, seconds later, the faces of Sirius and Madam Rosmerta slid from view as the Floo system pulled her along to her final destination. As was her practice when traveling in this manner, Ofelia closed her eyes tightly to quell the sense of nausea that often accompanied Floo travel.

Minutes later, the sensation of the world spinning around her stopped abruptly and she struggled to remain upright. She was grateful at the sensation of strong hands on her shoulders, steadying her from pitching forward.

"Ofelia," a deep voice intoned softly.

Her eyes flew open and she found herself looking into the caramel colored eyes of Michael Delacour.


	30. Secrets Revealed

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 30 – Secrets Revealed

"_Michael_," Ofelia breathed. She vaguely registered that he was leading her clear of the hearth before he had taken her in his arms and was holding her very tightly.

"Ofelia, I couldn't believe it when your friends told me you had left," he murmured into her hair, his warm breath ruffling the fine blonde strands. "I never expected you to stay away – and with no word from you, I had no idea what had happened."

"I'm so sorry, Michael," she whispered. "I didn't know that I wasn't coming back until I arrived in London. There was no way I could contact you."

"It's all right; you're here now," the young wizard soothed. "Come. I've reserved a sitting room for us to use. We'll order lunch and we'll talk. Ok?" He gently lifted her away from him and brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheeks.

She nodded and entwined her fingers with his as they walked over to the wizened proprietor and asked to be shown to the sitting room that Michael had reserved.

"It's not very fancy," Michael said as he opened the door for her to enter. "It will give us a bit of privacy, though – and it's clean."

Ofelia looked back at him and smiled. "You needn't apologize. This is perfect."

"Are you hungry?"

Ofelia shook her head. "No, but tea would be nice."

While Michael dashed into the hallway to catch Tom and place the order, Ofelia looked around the room. A large chaise lounge was situated before the fire, its fabric worn with age and occupancy. Two matching wingback chairs stood opposite, each with a matching ottoman that invited travelers to settle in and put up their feet for a bit. A wooden table with two ladder-backed chairs had been placed against the wall boasting the only window. In the far corner sat a bed with deep crimson hangings. An assortment of colorful, woolen rag rugs were strewn about the wide-planked wood floor which, coupled with the crackling fire, finished off what was a genuinely cheerful room.

Ofelia walked over to the fire and stood, quietly warming herself. _I haven't been nervous around Michael since that very first day; his smile had calmed the butterflies_, she mused, _but had ignited deeper feelings, as well. _

"Sorry to have taken so long, love," Michael bustled back into the room, balancing a full tea tray carefully as he kicked the door closed with a smile. "Tom, apparently, is full up and told me to run along to the kitchen and he'd see to it that we were fixed right up!"

This added as he moved over to the table and, with a grateful sigh, transferred the tray to its gleaming surface.

"Do we need to do our own washing up after?" Ofelia asked, smiling as she accepted her cup from the tall young man.

"Well, if we _do_, it will be magically accomplished," he returned, noting the slight tremble in her hand. "All right, love?"

"Fine," Ofelia walked back toward the fireplace and sat on the end of the chaise. "Care to join me?"

Michael fixed his own cup and came to sit beside her. "Talk to me, 'felia. Please tell me what has happened." When the young woman remained silent, Michael placed his cup on the floor and touched her arm lightly. "Please?" he said again. "You know that I love you; you can tell me anything."

Finally, Ofelia looked up at him, her face pale. "Yes, I _do_ know how you feel; I love you, as well, but there is just so much happening at one time that I am afraid that perhaps you will think badly of me once you've heard it all."

Michael took her hand in both of his and looked intently into her eyes. "Well, as _that_ is completely impossible, I think you have nothing to worry about. Why don't you tell me what's going on and then we can begin to figure it out?"

With a nod, Ofelia took a deep breath and began to tell Michael all that had happened since she had last seen him. Although he didn't interrupt her at any time during her rather long monologue, his face conveyed his shock, outrage on Ofelia's behalf and, finally, calm determination.

At last, Ofelia was finished and the silence hung thick in the air.

"So, let me see if I understand," Michael said. "Since I saw you last, you've been moved from France to London and then to a school in Scotland. You've gained a fiancé, the scion of one of the Darkest Pureblood families in our world who, as luck would have it, also has a girlfriend of his own, and doesn't really want to chuck _her_ out in favor of marrying _you_. On top of everything else, for the past month or so, you've been part of a band of merry, _non-Dark _witches and wizards – one of whom _is _your fiancé - and have been conducting this little covert plan to discredit your _fiancé_ in the eyes of your brother, who would then report back to your father. Your _father_, being aghast at your fiancé's complete lack of sexual self-control, would storm the castle walls, removing you from certain ruination at his hands." He paused and, eyes twinkling, gave her a very large grin. "How'd I do?"

Despite her nerves, Ofelia found his merriment infectious and she returned his smile with a warm one of her own. "Brilliantly. You got it in one and lightened the mood as well; I wouldn't have expected less from you." She grew more sober as she thought of the consequences that would befall Sirius at home.

"What is it, love?"

"Michael, I have little detail, but I do know that Sirius suffers incredible abuse at the hands of his mother. Once my father notifies the Blacks that he has not mended his ways, as ordered, I fear that his difficulties will only increase. He brought his friends into this mess in an effort to help both of us out of an untenable situation. I didn't always make it easy for him, either, but I had other considerations, too – of which he is not aware. It seems unfair that, if this all works out well for _us_, his reward will be to suffer even more."

"There is little we can do to alleviate that, you know. The Blacks are legendary – even in France – for their commitment to the Dark Arts. You've said that this son – Sirius, is it? – has rebelled against far more than this arranged marriage. He has strong friendships at school?"

Ofelia nodded. "And some degree of protection from the Headmaster, I'm told."

"Then, when this is all sorted out, the Headmaster should be told so that he can proactively formulate some means of enhancing whatever protection he can exert for Sirius." Michael cast a warming charm on their tea and handed Ofelia her cup. "I do have a couple of questions, if I may ask them."

"Of course," Ofelia took a sip of her tea, then placed it back on the floor at her feet. _How it is possible to feel so much anxiety in the presence of someone you love so very much?_ The question burned through her brain as she waited for Michael to continue speaking. _Because you've reached the moment when you could lose it all_, taunted a firm voice in the back of her mind; a voice that sounded suspiciously like Arturo's.

"Arturo fell for your plot to discover Sirius in a – well – _compromising _situation with another witch a week ago. You've said that you asked Arturo to delay notifying your father. Why?" Michael's face held no sign of suspicion, merely curiosity.

"While you painted an amusing image of my father storming Hogwarts when he received Arturo's owl, it may not be very far from reality. I have no way of knowing for certain how Father will react. Will he contact Orion Black to report his displeasure? Will he instead summon me home or travel to Scotland to remove me personally? I could not have risked him coming to Hogwarts and forcing me back to London before this weekend. I could not have borne not seeing you – not speaking with you," she explained, clasping the hand that reached for hers as if it were a lifeline. _In reality, it _is, Ofelia realized.

"But surely, my love, you could have contacted me once you'd reached London…"

"But I could just as easily not have been allowed to contact _anyone_. I couldn't be sure how Father would react." Ofelia jumped up from the chaise and began to pace up and down in front of the startled wizard. "Sirius asked me the same question; he wasn't amused that I'd delayed this for another week without telling him. Why is it that people just can't understand what's at stake here?"

Michael rose and slowly walked toward the agitated young woman. He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently turning her to look at him. "Perhaps because there's more at stake here than we know about." He brought one hand to her chin so she couldn't look away before continuing, "Perhaps because what _we _know to be the goal seems to be best achieved by following the original plan." He watched as Ofelia's eyes filled with tears. "There's more, isn't there, love? The 'other considerations' you mentioned earlier – the ones that you failed to disclose to Sirius?" She nodded, tears dropping onto his hand as she finally lost the ability to hold them back. "And I'm somehow involved in all that you're not saying, yes?"

This is it; I cannot bear what may come now …

"Talk to me, love." Michael's patient voice cut through the anxiety.

Ofelia drew a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant."

XXXXXXXX

The green flames swirled and rose with Ofelia's form, leaving Sirius staring briefly at an empty fireplace. _Whatever happens, I can't stop it or change it; she's gone._ Sirius closed his eyes for a moment. _Merlin, I hate not being in control of this…_

"Here, love."

Sirius opened his eyes to see a shot glass half full of what smelled like Firewhiskey being held in front of his face. Looking up, he saw Rosmerta smiling at him. "Whatever's going on with that young witch has certainly got your wand in a knot. I've not yet met a knot that Old Ogden couldn't loosen. Here, down it in one go – and don't try to convince _me _that you've never had this before now!"

Smiling back at the knowing expression on Rosmerta's face, Sirius reached for the glass and did as instructed. She was right; he and James were no strangers to Ogden's finest. He handed her back the empty glass and stood. "Thanks, Rosie," he said, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek. "I'm not sure it will loosen the knot any, but you're a kind woman for trying …" He paused and looked back at the empty hearth, before facing Rosmerta once more, "… and for helping us out with the Floo bit – and on the quiet, too. Thanks, Rosie," Sirius said again turning and heading toward the door. Swirling the Cloak over himself, he chuckled at the shocked expression on the pub owner's face as he opened the door. "See you later this afternoon, Rosie," he whispered and then he was gone.

On the other side of the door, Sirius checked his watch. 11:45; Remus, James and Peter should be along shortly. With great longing, he thought of Kate, who would be coming to Hogsmeade with Lily. _At least I'll get to see her_, he thought to himself as he opened the door to The Three Broomsticks and slipped out into the chilly street.

XXXXXXXX

As the remaining three Marauders, Lily and Kate approached the village moments later, their thoughts were similarly focused on Sirius and, of course, on Ofelia and her date with the mysterious Michael.

"I would say that much light will be shed by the end of the day today," James pronounced, doing his best to sound wise and all knowing. Fortunately for him, he missed the amused roll of her eyes that was Lily's response.

"Bit of the Divination gift in you, eh, James?" Remus offered, chuckling, receiving a light slap on his back in return.

"You were in the dorms last night," James replied. "It sounded as if Sirius was jumping up and down on his bed with all the twisting and turning he was doing. He's as worried about today as I've ever seen him about _anything._"

At that moment, Kate and Lily walked briskly past the trio of wizards, turning to put their tongues out at them once they'd pulled ahead on the path.

"The stakes are higher than he's experienced in the past," Remus said quietly, eyes on Kate. "I'll wager that what he could lose has got him in a right state."

"Oi," James called to the two witches just ahead of them. "It's not much of a date if the witch dumps her wizard before they even get to the village!"

Lily turned around, walking backward as she replied, "Depends on the perspective, doesn't it?"

"Well, I should … _hey_!" James' voice rose significantly as he realized the import of Lily's come back. The three wizards exchanged a look of mischief and began to run full out toward Lily and Kate, who were laughing too hard at the boys' faces to do anything but stand there waiting for them. When the group had finally composed themselves, the five friends continued through the gates of the village, with Kate's eyes, in particular, looking out for any sign of _her _wizard.

It was as they stood in front of Madame Malkin's shop-front window, (the girls gazing at the display of robes with the sign "Exclusive to Madame Malkin's: Re-kindle that fire in your wizard's eye with the latest designs by Appollonia L'Amour"), that Kate felt a hand under her elbow and a warm breath near her ear.

"Believe me, my love; _this _wizard's fire needs _no_ re-kindling!"

"Not fair when I can't see you, Mr. Black," Kate whispered, her gaze still fixed on the collection of alluring robes.

Sirius smiled at the catch in her voice and the blush he could see touching her cheek.

"You're blushing, Ms. Morgan," he continued.

"No doubt," she whispered. "You know you're supposed to be wandering the streets with your mates, don't you?"

"Yes, but you're so much better looking than _they _are," he murmured, his smile audible.

"Talking to yourself, Kate?" Remus' voice sounded to her right. "First sign of madness, you know."

"Moony, I don't think that's quite right in Kate's case," James chimed in. "I think the _first _sign for _her _was when she fell for Padfoot!"

"Think you're a bunch of ruddy comedians, don't you?" Sirius grumbled beneath the cloak. "Look, you lot head over to Quality Quidditch Supplies. There's an alleyway running behind it. I'll duck into the alley, ditch the cloak and meet you inside, yeah?"

"Sounds good," James replied. "Come along, men; let's go see what the newest racing broom has to offer."

"I'll see you back at the castle later on, Katie," Sirius whispered, warmth filling him as he saw her smile in response.

"Yes. I'll meet you in the Common Room – Delilah's sister be damned!"

Sirius chuckled and moments later, Kate leaned into the direction he'd been standing to find the space empty. She sighed. _I'm tired of the brief encounters, too, Sirius. One more day._

"Come on, Kate; let's head over to Flourish & Blott's. There are a few things I need to pick up while we're here," Lily said. Crossing the narrow street, Lily pointed over toward the Quidditch Shop. The four Marauders were just exiting the alleyway. "Warms your heart to see them reunited, doesn't it?" Her voice was teasing as she acknowledged James' wave with a nod of her head then steered Kate in the opposite direction. Kate followed – but not before she caught sight of Sirius' small wink. Smiling, she turned to her best friend as they, too, moved further into the shopping district.

The group ran into each other throughout the next couple of hours as they criss-crossed the shops in Hogsmeade. Around 2 o'clock, Sirius' nerves began to get the better of him once again and Remus suggested that the four of them head over to The Three Broomsticks for a late lunch - and some butter beer. "Firewhiskey would work better," Sirius grumbled.

"You can't be _pissed _and expect to get Ofelia back to the castle without blowing her cover, can you?" James pointed out, holding the door for the other three to enter.

When they'd adjusted their eyes to the dimly lit interior of Rosmerta's pub, Remus immediately located Kate and Lily sitting at a booth in the back of the establishment. As luck would have it, there was an empty booth directly in front of theirs and the four wizards immediately claimed it.

"Four butter beers, please," James gave their order to the young barmaid and handed round the menus.

When the young woman returned with their beverages, they each ordered thick ham sandwiches with crisps and pickles and sat back to wait for them to arrive. Sirius was glad that he could look past where James was sitting and see Kate; his nerves were steadily climbing and seeing her face kept them from escalating out of control.

When the food arrived, the wizards tucked in, devouring the contents of their plates in relatively little time. Sirius, too, was ravenous, having only picked at breakfast much earlier that morning.

"Ah, I see the lion cubs have been let loose from their cage for the afternoon," Lucius Malfoy pulled up beside their table on his way to the door. "And without a handler, as well; tsk, tsk – how _careless_ of the school."

"Said the lead viper from the Slytherin nest," Sirius retorted nastily. _Just what the Healer ordered to let off a little steam._

Lucius smirked, his hand stroking the silver head of the snake that adorned his walking stick. _Affected git_, Sirius thought to himself. _I ought to give him a real reason to use that fuckin' stick_! "Speaking of snakes, Malfoy, where's the rest of your little band of followers?"

"Ah, Black, how your intellect never fails to blind me with its brilliance," he smirked. "Actually, my friends are awaiting me elsewhere. In passing by this … _establishment_ … I saw you – but not your _fiancée._" His eyes slid to where Kate and Lily were sitting, listening to every word. "Although I _did_ notice Ms. _Morgan_. Surely you are not being _unfaithful_ to our dear Ofelia? The consequences of doing so would be – for you – quite dangerous, indeed."

"Are you threatening me, Malfoy?" Sirius' voice was close to a growl.

Lucius' icy blue eyes widened in feigned shock. "_I_? Threaten _you_, Black? Hardly necessary. If your behavior regarding Ofelia was not acceptable to him, her brother, Arturo, would certainly do far worse to you than I ever could. One owl, Black, and your life becomes a living hell."

Sirius snorted. " '_Becomes a living hell_', Malfoy? _Becomes_? Haven't you been paying attention? It already _is_! Now, why don't you be a good little Dark Wizard and _piss off_ so we can get on with enjoying our afternoon. Or, I could just hex you and leave you under the bloody table here 'til one of your lot slithers by looking for you. Your choice, Malfoy. Say the word."

While Malfoy's eyes narrowed at the younger wizard, he did not rise to the bait. "As I said, my friends are waiting for me. You wouldn't want _them_ to come looking and find you here with someone _not _your fiancée, would you?" A moment later, he was sweeping toward the door, his white-blonde hair clearly visible as he strode importantly through the exit.

"Wanker!" James muttered after the Slytherin had left. "I can't _stand _that git. He's almost as bad as Snape!"

Sirius nodded. "As much as I hate to say this, Prongs, I think he's almost _worse._"

"We should probably take another walk around the village before Ofelia Floos back here," Remus offered, draining the remainder of his butter beer. "It would be good to know where that lot is located before we walk her back up to the castle."

The others murmured their agreement, with James quietly passing the plan to Lily who nodded in concurrence.

"You all right if we head off, Pads?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, yeah, you guys go on. Makes sense to find the Slytherin gits before we head up. I'll see if Rosie will let me wait in her office 'til Ofelia Floos through." _And we can finally send that bloody owl_, he thought to himself.

As his friends rose to leave, Sirius heard rustling behind him, signaling that Lily and Kate, too, were ready to depart. As she passed him, Kate discreetly squeezed his shoulder and Sirius felt a familiar rush of warmth at the contact. _Almost there, Katie_.

XXXXXXXX

Michael stood by the fireplace, elbow resting on the mantel, absorbing the news Ofelia had given him. _Pregnant_. He didn't truly know what to think, let alone say about this sudden shift in their circumstances. He was a student with limited means; his parents paid his tuition and provided pocket money each month, but it was hardly sufficient to support a family.

Ofelia watched the young wizard with rapidly escalating concern. He had said nothing since she had given him the news she had kept exclusively to herself for the past month. Somehow, she had truly believed that once she told Michael, she would have someone to help shoulder this burden; watching his face now made her fearful that she would continue to deal with the situation alone.

"Michael?" _If it's to be bad news, it's better to know now. _

The sound of her voice seemed to rouse him from his thoughts and, with a slight shake of his head, Michael turned back to her. "I never expected this," he said.

Ofelia's eyes widened. "Are you saying that I _did_? It wasn't planned, Michael. That afternoon, in the old cottage on the estate, neither of us was thinking very clearly, were we?"

Michael rushed over and sat next to her, taking her hand. "'felia, I don't think that you planned anything. I don't think you _would _do that. I'm just … I'm _shocked. _I never – not for a moment – expected this."

"I can relate," Ofelia replied quietly. "So, where does this leave us?"

"Honestly? I don't know," Michael said, quietly.

Ofelia made to remove her hand from his but he gripped it tighter. "No, love," he pulled her toward him. "I won't let you run from me. I'm not going to run from this. I love you – this doesn't change that." He paused, pulling back so he could see her face. "I have to ask, 'felia. Do you want this child?"

Ofelia nodded. "It's not a question of wanting or not wanting; this child is a fact. Born or not, it's here; I cannot end its life."

Michael smiled in relief. "Good. I feel the same way."

"Michael, I'm sixteen years old and still in school. I don't have complete say in my life as of yet," Ofelia pointed out.

"You will be seventeen in the beginning of May. That's well before the end of school and, I'm guessing, before the baby would be born, yes?" Michael glanced at Ofelia's still flat stomach.

"Yes," she nodded. "We were together in the middle of November. I am just over two months along. The baby will be born around the middle of August. But, Michael – my pregnancy will be readily apparent within the next couple of months. People will notice – and report my condition to my father."

"There are spells that would conceal your condition without harming the child," Michael said, quite matter-of-factly.

"How do you know this?"

"There was a young woman at University who discovered that she was pregnant over the summer. She was the daughter of a very prominent Minister of Parliament. Like my own family, the mother is a witch, the father a Muggle, obviously; the daughter, too, is a witch, although she has not completely embraced that part of her heritage. The family was quite anxious that her condition remain concealed, especially as the MP was up for re-election and stood on a platform of family values," Michael explained. "The pregnancy of his youngest – unmarried – child would have flown in the face of his rhetoric and, most likely, would have contributed to his defeat."

"What happened?"

"The family sought out the assistance of a Healer in London who taught her the spell to cast to conceal her condition. No matter how advanced her pregnancy became, the outside world saw the svelte young woman she had been when she entered the school," he said. "She released the spell at night and re-cast it each morning. She has delivered a normal child and plans to marry its father when school concludes for the summer months. The child is staying with her older sister who is married with a child of her own."

"How do you know all of this?" Ofelia wanted to know.

"She is a friend of mine. There is a wizarding community on campus – underground, of course – and she connected with a group of people I know fairly well. She's a decent sort; not quite sure about magic and how to handle it all. The child's father is a Muggle, but she reckons that this is not the end of the world; her own mother married a Muggle and it has been a happy union for many, many years."

"Do you know this spell?"

Michael shook his head. "We are not that close. We could go and see her on campus, however and ask her to take us to the Healer who helped her. You could be seen and taught the spell, if the Healer is agreeable." He checked his watch. "We have more than enough time if you wish to do it today."

Ofelia took a deep breath. "What are the odds that I can actually see someone today? It's Saturday, after all. And, how do I know that this Healer will not go to my family and tell them about all of this?"

"We won't know anything until we try but I know _this_. I will not allow anyone to harm you – or to take you from me. If we have to lie about your age when we speak with this Healer, then that is what we will do. Once you turn seventeen, we will no longer have to do this," Michael reasoned.

"Alright, then," Ofelia agreed. "Let's go and see if we can accomplish all of this before I have to meet with Sirius and return to Hogwarts."

"Is there someone at school whom you could trust with this news?" Michael asked as they rose together from the sofa and walked toward the door.

"Why?"

"In case anything happened, it would be safest for you – and our child – if there was someone who knew of your condition."

Ofelia thought of Lily. She had shown such concern for both her and the situation. She made up her mind. "Yes. There is a young witch in my year who has been very kind. She is part of the group helping with this whole marriage contract business. She would keep our secret if I asked it of her."

As the couple walked toward the exit, Michael paused to speak with Tom, ensuring that the sitting room would still be available upon their return. Satisfied, the two young people stepped into the street and began the walk towards Michael's campus. A thought struck Ofelia as they made their way along the slushy walkways.

"I must hold to my word and send an owl to Father this evening. I must tell him that Sirius has been unfaithful. He may try to remove me from school," she said, feeling her panic escalating again.

Michael turned her to face him and placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her. "If he attempts that, you can tell him that you wish to remain at Hogwarts through the end of the school year to be near to your brother during this upsetting time. It's his last year. You can transfer back to Beauxbatons to conclude your education in September."

Ofelia considered his suggestion and nodded. "I believe it could work." They resumed walking and after a short time, Ofelia offered Michael a small smile. "Do you know, I think that you and Sirius would get along quite well?"

"How so?"

"Well, you both meet adversity head on, and you retain your ability to think on your feet. And you are both very loyal to those you love," she replied. "I must tell him the truth, as well, you know. It isn't fair to keep it from him."

Michael nodded. "Do what you feel you must. You obviously feel that you can trust him and I, of course, trust your judgment." He paused outside a gray stone building. "Here we are. Ready?"

Feeling anything but, Ofelia nodded, fixed a smile on her face and walked through the door Michael held open for her. _I can only hope that the rest of today goes as well as it has so far_, she thought as she stood back and waited for Michael's friend to join them.


	31. New Conspiracies

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 31 – New Conspiracies

A _whooshing_ sound and the appearance of emerald green flames signaled Ofelia's imminent arrival in Rosmerta's office. Thus alerted, Sirius was in place before the hearth when Ofelia stumbled out of it. He caught her and made certain she had her bearings before letting go and greeting her somewhat nervously. She was thirty minutes earlier than anticipated.

"You're early. Is everything ok?"

Ofelia nodded, glancing around the room. "I wanted a few moments to speak privately with you before we had to join the others. We are alone, yes? We cannot be overheard?"

Sirius glanced toward the open door, through which the raucous sounds of the pub crowd could be heard. He indicated that Ofelia should sit in one of the two chairs in the room while he walked over and closed the door. "There. That should help, anyway." He sat down opposite the young witch. "What's going on?"

Ofelia drew a deep breath and looked directly at Sirius. "I need to share something with you – something that is highly confidential. If this news were to fall into anyone else's hands, the results would be disastrous for more than just myself. Sirius, I know what happened with Arturo and Delilah – what I did – has cost me your trust, but I must ask you to keep this secret for me. And I must ask it before disclosing anything about it. Will you do that? Will you swear to me that you will not repeat anything that I will tell you?"

Sirius' eyes widened as he listened to both Ofelia's words as well as the impassioned tone in which they were spoken. "No more mysteries, then? You're going to tell me the truth, the things you've refused to talk about since I met you?"

Ofelia nodded.

Sirius extended his hand and indicated that she should clasp it in her own. "I swear that I will not divulge what you tell me here – _unless_ you give me permission to do so." He shook her hand firmly then let it drop.

Ofelia looked at him quizzically. "Is there some sort of silent spell that's cast to secure the vow?"

Sirius smiled. "No. Remus showed it to me. His Mum's father is a Muggle and he taught it to _him_. Called it a "handshake agreement" and said that no honorable person would break it once they had promised." He paused, his face sincere. "I've been called many things, Ofelia – most of them by my family and none of _those _things are particularly kind. I _am_ an honorable person, however and if I promise a friend that I will do something then I do it. I don't need magic to keep this promise to you – unless you would feel better doing something more formal."

Ofelia looked at the sincerity in his eyes and thought back to her conversations with Michael and later, with his friend Susan and the Healer, Hortense Jones. Muggles featured prominently in virtually every aspect of this new chapter in her life; it seemed appropriate to the girl that Sirius offered this particular gesture to seal their agreement…an agreement between _friends_.

Ofelia shook her head and returned his smile. "No, I think that this perfect for two friends to have between them." She paused, eyes again flickering toward the door then back again. Sirius recognized her unease and cast a quick silencing charm on the door.

Ofelia smiled her thanks. "Sirius, you will remember that I told you that I had my own reasons for delaying the owl to my father – and for initially trying to work through a plan on my own?"

He nodded.

"I will admit that my alternative plan was not particularly _honorable_, but please believe me when I tell you that any dishonor I might have contemplated was the result of my own panic at the circumstances in which I found myself," she continued, steadily holding his gaze.

"I understand, Ofelia. I know what it's like to come up with a plan out of sheer panic, after all."

"Sirius, I'm not going to beat about the bush any longer. I am pregnant. Approximately two months. Of course, the child is Michael's; we were together in November before my parents pulled me from Beauxbatons and transferred me here," the blonde paused to allow Sirius a moment to digest her news.

"_Pregnant_!" He ran his hand through his hair as his thoughts swirled. "Well, that certainly explains a lot." Sirius paused, his eyes narrowing. "I'm guessing that the one-week delay let you break the news to Michael and figure out if he was going to stay or do a runner on you." At her nod, he continued. "I'm also guessing that he's come through for you."

"Yes, he has."

"Even though it isn't relevant any longer, I'm betting that I was your alternative plan, am I right? If Michael hadn't come through for you, there would have been no owl to your father, would there? I would have stepped in, married you and taken responsibility for this pregnancy, isn't that right?" Although Sirius had suspected that Ofelia's delay somehow involved him, he wasn't certain that he had been prepared to learn the extent the young woman had been willing to manipulate the situation – and him.

"I told you that my actions were not wholly honorable, but I was so panic stricken at being pregnant and totally out of touch with Michael – not knowing how he would react – that I just …" she stopped speaking when Sirius held up his hand.

"As _I_ said before, I know what it's like to form a bad plan based on desperation," Sirius said. "I won't lie to you; I don't appreciate having my life manipulated but given that your alternate plan isn't needed, it would be a big waste of time and effort to dwell on it. I just don't want to be used any more, right?"

Ofelia reached over and squeezed his hand. "I won't use you again; I promise you, Sirius. And I won't lie or hold anything back, either." She pulled her hand away but left it extended toward him. "Care to pretend we're both 'gentlemen' and shake on it?"

Sirius smiled – this time without any reserve – and clasped her hand in his. "Thank you. Ofelia, may I ask what you and Michael have come up with? I mean, you really can't expect to hide your condition until the baby's born, can you? It will become quite obvious – and fairly soon, I should think."

"Michael took me to see a friend of his, who found herself in a similar set of circumstances. She goes to University with Michael in London. Her parents knew about her situation – my parents will _not_, for as long as I can manage it – and took her to a Healer who knew how to conceal her condition through the use of a spell," she explained. "I saw the Healer this afternoon. She's very nice and she taught me the spell to use to conceal the pregnancy. I'll cast it each morning and remove it each evening – until the baby is born."

"How are you going to remove the spell in a dormitory with 3 other witches and expect them not to see it?" Sirius frowned. "It would seem to me that your secret isn't very safe unless you can move to a room by yourself."

Ofelia shook her head. "It would draw too much attention to move to a private room. Besides, you don't know how private we are over in Slytherin," she smiled slyly. "Everyone casts _Imperturbable_ charms and locking spells on their bed curtains at night. I'll cast the spell after everyone has gone to bed and I've secured my own curtains. No one will bother me – or see me – until the following morning when I've recast the spell. Brilliant, isn't it?"

Sirius nodded. "That spell would be brilliant for some of the pranks we've done. Hey…"

Ofelia shook her head. "I am _not _teaching you this concealment spell, Sirius, so you can put that straight out of your mind right now!"

"And here I thought we were friends," he grinned. "Wait – Ofelia, what about Michael's family? What are the long term plans for you?"

For the first time, Ofelia looked uncertain. "Michael feels that his parents will be disappointed in him at first, but will come around quite well before too much time has passed. As far as school is concerned, the concealment charm will work right through the end of school. By then, I will know more about Michael's family and what plans we will be able to make."

Sirius nodded. It certainly seemed that they had taken everything into consideration and had allowed for any eventuality. _Except …_

"We haven't talked about the owl to your father," he said quietly. "Even though you've still got some things to settle, your future seems fairly certain. I think I have a right to expect mine to be settled as well."

Ofelia's eyes widened. "Oh, Sirius – _of course_! I'm sorry that I did not speak up sooner. If we have the time to send the owl before joining the others, we can go to the Owl Post and send it from here."

Sirius watched Ofelia's face blur as tears he could not control filled his eyes. He turned his head away from her and scrubbed his hands roughly over his face. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I've just waited so long to have this bloody contract over with that I …_Merlin_, you'd think I was a ruddy _girl_!" Realizing what he'd just said, he gave her a weak smile. "Sorry, again."

"It's fine," she said.

"Wait, what will you do if your father makes you leave? Won't that make it more difficult to keep your condition a secret until Michael's got some sort of arrangement with his family?" Sirius' face fell a bit; he was intent on finally having an open relationship with Kate that he'd wanted for so long and, in the meantime, had totally disregarded how badly that single owl message could work out for Ofelia.

"My message is going to tell my father that you, in fact, have been seeing other witches. If you're agreeable, I'll also add that you have no intention of changing your behavior. Rather than come home, however, I wish to spend the remainder of the year here, in the same House as Arturo, completing my 5th year. Once it's over, however, I will return home and would like to be re-enrolled in Beauxbatons. That was the agreement my mother forced my father into, you know: if you didn't mend your ways and the contract was voided, then I could go back to my old school with no further argument from my family," she explained.

"But with Michael in London, won't you hate to be in France?"

"Michael will transfer to university in Neuilly and continue his studies there. We will be fine – perhaps married – when he graduates. Besides, I will be 17 in May. Even if my father tries to stop me, I can still attend Beauxbatons if I choose. I will come into some money from my late grandmother on the 17th birthday. If need be, I will pay my own tuition to the school for the last two years of my education," Ofelia finished, defiance shining through her voice.

Sirius shook his head admiringly. "You've thought of everything," he said.

"Not everything," Ofelia's face was full of concern. "I haven't figured out a way to help you when my father contacts your family about my message. I am very afraid for what will happen to you, Sirius."

Privately, Sirius shared her concern, but he still felt that he could count on Dumbledore to intercede for him with his father. His mother was an entirely different story, but perhaps the intercession could – even briefly – extend to her, as well.

"Ofelia, if I say nothing about your situation, would you object if I went to Dumbledore this evening to tell him that we think we have successfully broken the marriage contract – or at least notified your father that I'm not husband material? I would ask him for any assistance he could give me with my parents, you see. Based on … well, given some recent history, I believe that the Headmaster would be able to help me a bit."

"I would not only agree with you, I would go with you, if you like," Ofelia offered. "It is the least I can do; you have done so much for me – despite some of my rather horrible behavior from time to time." She smiled.

"Ofelia, stand up, please," Sirius said, rising as well. With a very confused expression, the witch nonetheless did as he asked. "Right," he continued. "I am going to hug you now." And he did so, relieved to hear Ofelia's light laugh next to his ear. "Thank you," he whispered. "Very much." Sirius released her and stepped back.

"Thank _you_," she replied, glancing at the clock behind Rosmerta's desk. "Come, we should send the owl and meet the others. We've just enough time if we leave right now."

Sirius lifted the charms from the door and placed the Invisibility Cloak securely over Ofelia. As they walked through the crowded pub, the two were careful not to allow the girl to brush against any of the patrons. When they reached the door, Sirius looked back to see Rosmerta smiling at him from behind the bar. With a brief wave and a smile of thanks, Sirius opened the door and the two students walked into the afternoon air.

XXXXXXXX

"Right on time," Remus observed as the group watched Sirius – seemingly alone - approach them as they waited next to the elaborate sign post marking the edge of the village. Behind them, looming large in the distance was the castle, beckoning the students with windows already filled with the bright orange color of wall torches and candlelight.

"Everything alright, Pads?" James inquired as the black haired wizard as he fell into step with them.

"Never better," he said, sliding a glance to his left, where Ofelia walked in the shelter of the Invisibility Cloak. Sirius decided that she should walk on the outer edge of the group to avoid the appearance of any unexplained space between any of their members. "We've sent the owl to Ofelia's father," he added, his voice nearly a whisper. "I expect we'll hear something before too long."

"What do you suppose will happen?" Peter asked, anxiously.

"Don't know, Pete, but I'm going to see Dumbledore straight away and let him know what's happened."

James draped his arm around Sirius' shoulders. "Good on you, Pads! After Christmas, Dumbledore won't let anything like that happen again." He briefly tightened his hold then dropped his arm back by his side. "Want company?"

Sirius shook his head. "Got some. My soon to be _ex_-fiancée will be making the trip with me to the Headmaster's lair this afternoon."

Kate looked over at him with a warm smile. "Almost there, Sirius."

He nodded, his feelings quite evident in his eyes as he looked back at her. "Almost there, Katie."

XXXXXXXX

"Ice mice", Sirius said clearly as he and Ofelia stood before the gargoyles guarding Dumbledore's staircase. As the great stone figures moved and the staircase began spiraling upward, Sirius extended a hand to the blonde witch beside him. "Here, hold on to me. I wouldn't want you to slip or anything."

Ofelia rolled her eyes. "I'm not an invalid, you know," she whispered. When she did not take his hand, Sirius placed it on the small of her back instead. "You _do _realize that the engagement's over, right?"

Sirius rolled his eyes in return and was spared further commentary as they arrived at the great double doors leading to the Headmaster's office.

"Familiar territory?" Ofelia asked.

"Shut it, you," he replied, reaching forward to knock on the ancient wood. Before his knuckles could make the connection, however, the door swung inward.

"Mr. Black and Ms. Bullstrode! Come in, children; please come in and sit down," Albus Dumbledore's warm – and booming – voice greeted them.

The two students walked into the office and heard the doors click shut behind them.

The Headmaster was standing behind his desk, gesturing to two chairs before it.

"Tea? Lemon drops?" he offered.

Both students declined refreshment, stating that they would be heading down to the Great Hall for dinner immediately after their conversation.

"Ah, yes; quite a sensible decision, then. Now, what brings you to see me this evening?"

Sirius began. "Sir, you know quite well that Ofelia and I were forced into an engagement due to a marriage contract my parents worked up with the Bullstrodes."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I am aware of that situation – as well as your determination to break the terms of the contract to provoke its dissolution. There was quite a plan in the offing to accomplish this; am I to understand that you have been successful?" Neither student missed the trademark twinkle in the old wizard's eye.

"Sir, if I may," Ofelia took up the story. "One of my father's chief concerns was Sirius' reputation as something of a … well,"

"…a ladies' man?" Dumbledore supplied, twinkle in full force.

"_Yes, _a 'ladies' man," Ofelia said, gratefully. "Well, we concocted a plan – that is, Sirius and I, of course – and his friends, to make sure that Sirius was caught in an embarrassing position with another witch."

"Caught by _whom_, exactly?"

"My brother, sir – and myself. And we did so – last Sunday. According to our plan an owl would then be sent to my father, announcing that Sirius' behavior had not improved and that would, in effect, sever the contract," she continued.

"And due to the success of your staged – _rendezvous_ – this owl has been sent?" Sirius nodded. "Today, sir. This afternoon."

"That you waited almost a week to notify your father of Sirius' indiscretion seems a bit curious," here Dumbledore paused as he allowed his eyes to flicker over Ofelia as she sat in the chair. "But, no matter. Timing is not, as they say, _everything_. Tell me why you are here."

"My father may easily try to make me leave the school, which I do not wish to do. I wish to remain here to complete my 5th year in Slytherin with my brother. I would then resume study at Beauxbatons in September with my friends." Ofelia finished, looking at Sirius to take over. Dumbledore's curious scrutiny – no matter how kind or well meaning – was unsettling her.

"Ofelia is certain that her father will agree to allowing her to remain here as long as her brother is a student. The problem is with _my _family, sir," Sirius paused, looking directly at the Headmaster, whose eyes were, for once, decidedly _not _twinkling. "I am afraid that Ofelia's father will owl mine to notify them of the dissolution of the contract. I am concerned that my own family will force me to come home as a result. My parents – especially my mother – were very keen on this marriage, you see."

Dumbledore nodded, not breaking Sirius gaze. "While I cannot supersede the wishes of any parent, I had a very somber talk with your father after the holiday, Mr. Black. I made it very clear to him that I would not support further behavior such as that you experienced at home. If you are summoned home as a result of this situation, I will accompany you there. I believe I shall be able to convince them to reconsider their decision." He rose. "In any event, I find it most wise not to borrow trouble by worrying about things we cannot control. If an owl arrives with bad news – for either of you – I certainly hope that you will come to me and we can …ah, perhaps we will not have to wait any longer for their reactions." Dumbledore paused and went over to the window behind his desk, where two owls were waiting for admittance. As soon as the window opened wide enough to permit entrance, both birds flew over to the Headmaster's desk and perched on its far edge, facing the students.

Opposite Sirius was a bird he recognized all to well. A sleek, eagle owl with a disdainful expression and a truly nasty disposition, this owl was unmistakably his father's. Sirius reached for the outstretched leg to which a piece of rolled parchment was attached. As he drew away his hand, the bird flexed it's talons just enough to catch a piece of Sirius' hand. Immediately, blood dropped from the trio of puncture wounds to the priceless carpet below.

"Let me see your hand, please, Sirius," Dumbledore requested quietly. When Sirius complied, the Headmaster touched his wand tip to each wound and, without uttering a word, healed them in turn. The Black family owl made a noise of disgust and turned to fly back through the window. "I think not," Dumbledore said gravely to the bird. "I believe there will be a reply; if not from Sirius, then from me. I would be much obliged if you would wait for it." Clearly affronted, the majestic owl settled itself back onto the desk as requested.

"Ofelia?" Dumbledore gestured toward her owl, which appeared to have a much more agreeable disposition than it's flight companion. The large gray owl stood quietly with its leg extended outward toward the young witch. She stroked the owl, which leaned against her hand heavily as she did so. She detached her own parchment message and looked toward Dumbledore.

"I think you'd best go first, my dear," the Headmaster said, kindly. "You needn't read it aloud unless you are comfortable doing so."

Ofelia unrolled the parchment and glanced at its contents briefly before taking a deep breath. "_Daughter: Your mother and I are very disappointed that young Black was unable to come to terms with the contract – and honor it. Disappointed, but unsurprised. The Blacks sought us out to strengthen certain – characteristics - that years of inbreeding have brought out in them._" She glanced over at Sirius and murmured an apology. He shrugged in response. "You've met my family, Ofelia; you can't deny that what your father says is the truth." Ofelia nodded and continued, "_Although your marriage would have_ _brought a certain prestige – and social status amongst other Pureblood families – I am somewhat relieved that it will not take place. I am deeply angry that you were forced to endure any embarrassment due to young Black's promiscuity with school. As for your request to remain at Hogwarts for the remainder of the year, I am of two minds. The more quickly you return to London, the more quickly we can find a more suitable match for you – and put this sordid matter behind us all. For that reason, I am tempted to Floo to Scotland and fetch you home. On the other hand, you are an intelligent and talented witch and Hogwarts is a decent school. You will be with your brother, as you point out, as well as more upstanding offspring of honorable Pureblood families. Given those points, I am willing to grant your request to stay until the end of the year and return to London with us after we attend Arturo's graduation ceremony. I encourage you to stay away from the lesser element – Black and his friends, about whom Arturo has written us from time to time since your return. You have nothing to be ashamed of, darling; you tried your best, but Black was too boorish to recognize a redemptive opportunity when it was handed to him. Your mother sends her love and I remain – affectionately – Papa."_

"So, you are to remain with us for the rest of the year; that is good news," Dumbledore said then turned to the silent young wizard in the other chair. "Sirius, do you wish Ofelia to leave before you read the contents of your message?"

Sirius looked at the Headmaster then turned to Ofelia. "Would you mind? It's not apt to be very pleasant and _I'd _avoid it if I could."

Ofelia noted the pallor of his skin and the silent plea in his eyes and nodded. "Of course. I understand that you would like your privacy." To Sirius' surprise, she leaned over and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "You've nothing to 'redeem' yourself for," she said quietly. "and you're _not _a boor. Please don't believe anything they've written to you in that letter."

Sirius looked at her with a mixture of gratitude and – apprehension? – etched on his face. He nodded once then looked back down at the rolled parchment in his hand. "I'll see you later – and thanks."

Ofelia rose and, with a very small smile at Dumbledore – and one final look at Sirius – she left the office.

"It would appear that you have lost a fiancée, but perhaps gained a friend, yes?" Dumbledore inquired, sitting in the chair Ofelia had just vacated and patting Sirius' arm. "A very fortunate young man you are to be so richly gifted."

Sirius looked at his Headmaster and nodded.

"Shall we get this over with?" Dumbledore asked, inclining his head toward the parchment.

"Let's do it," came the reply as Sirius straightened his shoulders and unfurled the paper.

"_Sirius," _the elder Black son began reading aloud. "_I have received a very disturbing message from the Bullstrodes regarding their cancellation of your contract of marriage to young Ofelia. It seems that your sexual escapades were of greater importance to you than honoring a commitment made by this family. I am unsurprised. Your mother is, understandably, beside herself and wishes to speak with you immediately. I have just sent an owl to Dumbledore demanding that you Floo home at once to face both your mother and I and answer to your outrageous behavior – and what it has cost our family..." _Sirius' hand had begun to tremble and his face had gone as white as the parchment that fell from his hand to the top of Dumbledore's desk. The Headmaster leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"May I see the message, son?" he asked kindly and Sirius again nodded in response.

Dumbledore picked up the parchment and scanned the few remaining lines. Other than vitriolic denouncements of Sirius' character and veiled threats that he was certain came directly from Walburga, the rest of the note contained nothing of any particular importance or interest. He sighed, considering what was undoubtedly going to be an unpleasant scene when staccato tapping drew both wizards' attention to the window once again.

"Ouranos," Sirius said quietly, recognizing Walburga's owl.

Dumbledore smiled wryly as he opened the window to allow the bird entry. It settled next to Prometheus, Orion's owl and waited as Dumbledore retrieved yet another parchment from the leg of a Black family owl. "Ironic name for your mother's familiar," he commented to Sirius. "You know the story of Ouranos, do you not?"

Sirius shook his head. "In Greek mythology, Ouranos – known today as Uranus – married Gaia, a woman of great ambition. Of the children she bore him, it was the two youngest sons – the Titans – who greatly displeased their father for their failure to embrace certain behaviors. Ouranos cast them into the Underworld in his displeasure and, once there, they managed to cause their mother pain, as well. She ultimately shaped a great flint-shaped sickle and asked their sons to castrate their father. Ultimately, the youngest – and more ambitious of the two boys – Cronus, was willing to carry out his mother's wishes. It is an interesting parallel to the Blacks, don't you agree?"

Sirius smiled at Dumbledore. "Interesting, but not quite accurate in our case. I believe that my mother will be the one doing the castrating; she has so many talents that lead in that direction, after all."

Dumbledore's smile dimmed at the bitterness in the boy's smile and words. "Let's see what your father has to say, shall we?"

He opened the parchment, addressed to him as it was, and began to read; "_We will expect my son to travel to number 12 Grimmauld Place, via Floo network this evening at promptly 6 pm. We have matters of great family urgency to discuss with him. Orion Black._"

Silently, Dumbledore rose and seated himself behind his desk. He picked up a quill, dipped it in a bottle of purple ink and pressed the point to the bottom of Orion's message.

With a smile and a nod to Sirius, he began to write,

"_I am quite unwilling to disrupt Sirius' studies for an impromptu visit to London so early in the term. Such action can be of benefit to no one involved. I would, however, be more than willing to facilitate a meeting between you, Mrs. Black and young Sirius in my office on a date and time most convenient to all involved. Please provide me with a list of several such dates and times so that one may be selected and plans made. I remain – _

_Respectfully, _

_APWB Dumbledore_

_Headmaster, _

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry"_

He looked up at the young wizard seated in front of him as he reached for wax and his seal. Dumbledore dropped the boy a quick wink then quickly sealed the parchment and secured it to Ouranos' leg. "Safe journey," he said to the owl, and then turned to its companion. "Off you go, as well. I've said all I needed to say in the first message."

Once the pair had soared off into the night and Dumbledore had secured the window lock, he turned to Sirius. "You have nothing to fear, son. I want you to go to dinner with your friends – perhaps not with Ms. Morgan in quite so public a setting, just yet. Let us have the meeting with your parents over with first. For now, being together in your Common Room and less public areas would be advisable, yes?"

Sirius offered the most sincere smile he'd shown since the messages began arriving. "Thank you, sir. Thank you for everything."

Dumbledore waved him off. "I meant it when I said that I could not supersede a parent's directive. I can, however, work very hard to change minds. I am deeply committed to making sure that what happened to you over the holiday does not happen again. I believe that I saw and heard enough to be quite effective in changing their minds. It will not be pleasant when we all meet in my office. You must be strong. I assure you they will not hurt you."

Sirius extended his hand, which the Headmaster clasped warmly. "I trust you, sir. You let me know when this meeting will happen and I will do whatever you tell me to do."

To the boy's surprise, Dumbledore threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Oh, my dear boy, I shudder to think of the impact it would have on the cosmos should _you _be that obedient!" When Sirius chuckled sheepishly, he continued. "Nevertheless, if you are willing to put aside your glorious career of rebellion and pranks for the duration of the meeting, I will certainly be here to guide you! Now, I am going to have a word with Professor McGonagall and then make my way to dinner. I suggest that you join your friends, as well."

With one more smile of thanks, Sirius sprinted from the office, closing the door carefully behind him.

Dumbledore stared thoughtfully at the closed doors for several moments longer before kneeling before his fireplace, tossing in a pinch of green Floo powder, and asking McGonagall to join him for a brief chat before dinner.

Straightening up and turning back toward his desk, the Headmaster caught the gaze of Fawkes, his beautiful Phoenix, who was settled upon his perch. "Ah, Fawkes, I fear we have quite a task before us. Young Sirius is facing a very rough road indeed."


	32. Families, Friends & Freedom

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Some strong language

Chapter 32 – Families, Friends – and Freedom

Sirius arrived in the Great Hall and slid into his place next to Remus just as dinner appeared on the table. Glancing around, he located Kate, seated with Dorcas and Lily, at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table. Catching her eye, Sirius gave her a quick smile and a wink then turned his attention to his plate.

James leaned over and poked Sirius with his elbow. "Give over; what happened with Dumbledore?"

Sirius glanced around to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. "Ofelia's father owled her to say that he was totally unsurprised that I could not give up my randy ways and expressed his relief that she would not be shackled to me for the rest of her natural life. He's agreed that she can stay at school for the rest of the year before returning home with them when they come up here for Arturo's graduation in the spring. Unless I miss my guess, I believe the great Arturo Bullstrode will become quite the overprotective brother in the meantime."

"What happens next year?"

"She goes back to Beauxbatons – and her friends – to finish her education," Sirius said then shoveled a forkful of steaming hot chicken potpie into his mouth.

Remus leaned forward. "The contract has been dissolved, then?"

Sirius nodded. "Bullstrode sent an owl to Grimmauld Place, telling my parents all about my betrayal of his daughter. Father quilled quite a reply; it arrived while Ofelia and I were in Dumbledore's office." Remus noted that Sirius had put down his fork when he started speaking and, now finished, made no move to reclaim it. _If I'd gotten a message from Orion Black, I think I'd have lost _my_ appetite, as well._

"What did he say?" James asked, his own dinner forgotten as he recalled his friend's condition when he arrived back at school after the holidays.

"Oh, the usual. I'm not fit to be a Black, I've brought disgrace to the family, they want me to Floo to Grimmauld Place immediately for a _discussion _of the situation," Sirius' voice had gone very quiet.

Remus and James exchanged a grim glance. "You're not going anywhere _near_ that place, Padfoot," James said, his own voice steely in its resolve. "They're not going to get the chance to do what they did at Christmas."

Sirius smiled at his friends. "No, actually – they're not. Dumbledore sent a rather terse owl to Father, telling him that he wasn't going to interrupt the new term by sending me home for an '_impromptu visit_'. In exchange, he's invited them _here_ for a meeting that he will attend, as well."

Remus smiled. "I would say that you have _nothing _to worry about, then. Dumbledore will not allow anything to happen to you while he's present."

Sirius sobered. "No, not while he's present. It will be a different story when I go home for the summer though, won't it? He can't bloody well move into Grimmauld Place over the holiday, can he?"

James shook his head. "No, but it won't do to start worrying about that now. Maybe Dumbledore can do something in this meeting that will make your parents think twice about doing anything to you when you return to London."

"He's right, Pads," Remus agreed quietly. "Look, Dumbledore has already seen what your mother is capable of; he's not going to allow anything like that to happen again. He's not stupid, Sirius; he's going to keep his eye on things this summer, as well."

Sirius sighed. "Look, I know that Dumbledore will do everything he can to protect me. My parents are not stupid enough to try anything while they're here. But, you're right, James, if darling Mother is driven to lose her temper in front of him, perhaps Dumbledore will do something that will prevent my having to return to London over the holiday."

"You can always come and stay at my house, you know," James offered. "As you well know, my parents think you were stolen from them at birth, anyway!"

"Thanks, Jamie," Sirius said, smiling. "It will probably all work out in the end."

"When's the meeting?" Peter piped up, finally pushing his plate away from him.

Sirius shrugged. "Dumbledore told them to send him a few dates that would work and he'd get back to them." He glanced around at his friends and smiled slyly. "Try to imagine how well _that's_ going to go over!"

The four friends did share a chuckle over the image of the demanding, ever-in-control Blacks being at the beck and call of Hogwarts' Headmaster.

"So, you can be with Kate now, right?" Peter asked when the group had settled down a bit.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, but not publicly until after the meeting with my parents. Knowing them, it won't take long for Dumbledore to receive a reply."

He didn't realize how right he was. When Sirius finished dinner and rose, preparing to return to the Common Room with his friends – and, finally, with Kate - he was delayed by a hand on his shoulder. Dumbledore inclined his head at the other Marauders with a smile.

"Gentlemen, would you excuse us for a moment? I'd like to have a word with Mr. Black; I won't keep him too long, I assure you."

When the three boys, Lily and Kate had exited the Hall, Dumbledore escorted Sirius to his office.

"Your father's owl arrived just before Professor McGonagall and I went down for dinner," the Headmaster wasted no time.

"I didn't think it would take long," Sirius replied. "So, when is the meeting?"

"Tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock. We'll meet here," Dumbledore replied.

Sirius nodded, feeling his body tense as the news settled in. _So much for a leisurely Sunday morning in bed_, he thought wryly, then was seized by another possibility.

"Is _she _coming, too?"

Dumbledore reached out and clasped Sirius' shoulder. "Yes, your father indicated that your mother would be joining him." Feeling the tension in the muscles under his hand, he continued. "You have nothing to fear from her, son. I will be right here."

Sirius nodded. "May I go now?"

Dumbledore nodded and released him. "You may. Go spend some time in your Common Room with your friends – and Miss Morgan. Natural courage is always bolstered by the presence of those whom we love - and who love _us _in return, Sirius. That is a lesson worth remembering."

Sirius relaxed his shoulders and smiled at the Headmaster. "Thank you, sir. I think I'll just go put the lesson to work, now."

XXXXXXXX

When Sirius climbed through the portrait hole he was greeted by the chatter and hum of a fair number of students gathered in the Common Room. Scanning the crowd, he found his friends in their traditional location – directly in front of the hearth. Sirius approached the couch currently occupied by Kate and Lily. As she saw him approach, Lily smiled and rose – going over to take James' seat in an overstuffed chair not too far away.

"Cheers, Lils," Sirius murmured and settled himself next to Kate who smiled warmly at him before sliding closer and tucking her feet under her so she could lean against his shoulder.

"Comfortable, Pads?" James asked with a smile from his new seat at Lily's feet.

"Very," came the reply. "And you look quite natural sitting at the feet of Miss Evans," he added, grinning widely. James lifted his hand to make a rude gesture to his friend, but a light kick from the witch in question curtailed it.

"What did Dumbledore want?" Remus asked, curiously.

"Oh, well, I was right about my parents. Their owl arrived just before dinner – with _one_ possible meeting date," Sirius responded, tightly. "They'll be in Dumbledore's office tomorrow morning at nine." He felt Kate shift slightly closer to him and he put his arm around her shoulders. _The others must have filled her in before I got back._

"It will be fine," she said quietly. "They can do nothing to hurt you; Dumbledore won't allow it – you know that."

Sirius nodded. "I do. I just hate the thought of having to even be in the same room with _her_ again. Ruddy _bitch_!"

Kate reached up and squeezed his hand where it was draped over her shoulder. "Listen, if she becomes abusive toward you, it will only work against her in the end. Dumbledore will certainly not tolerate it in his presence and may cause your mother to regret her actions."

"Ever the optimist, eh, Katie?" Sirius said, shaking his head. "No, the only way my mother will ever regret _anything_ she does is if it personally _costs_ her something." His voice was laced with bitterness.

Kate looked around at the others who returned her gaze with equal measures of sympathy and concern. Casting about for a safe topic of conversation proved unsuccessful after that and silence fell over the group of friends. It wasn't long before Remus announced that he was going to bed, giving James a pointed look before he walked to the staircase.

"Right – yeah. Lily, I think I'll head up as well. I'll see you for breakfast?" At the redhead's nod he, too rose and poked Peter on the arm. "Wake up, Pete. Time to go to sleep."

"_Was _asleep," Peter grumbled, hefting himself from the comfort of his deep chair and following the other wizard up to the dorms.

"Subtle, aren't they?" Kate asked.

"Mmm," Sirius responded absently, his gaze on the fire.

Kate could feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves.

"You're thinking about tomorrow," she observed, squeezing his hand again.

"Pretty obvious, don't you think?"

Kate reminded herself that the sarcasm in Sirius' voice was undoubtedly driven by his anxiety at seeing his parents. "Maybe if you got some sleep, you'd feel a bit better."

Sirius pulled his arm from around Kate's shoulders and jumped up from the couch. "_Maybe_ if people would stop telling me what to _do_, I'd feel better," he said, starting to pace up and down in front of the hearth. "All sleeping is going to do is make tomorrow morning come faster." He pulled his fingers through his hair.

Kate took a deep breath. "Yes, but you will be rested and better prepared to face them," she reasoned. "And then it will be over."

Sirius stopped his pacing and turned to look at her. "This will _never _be over – not until they die, or I do. Even _then _I have a feeling she'll – they'll – figure out a way to torture me from the great Beyond! You don't have a _bloody clue_ what it's like – and rested or not, it doesn't change."

Kate rose to her feet, losing the battle to control her reactions as she felt her anger begin to rise. "Look, I might not have first-hand experience with what it's like for you at home, but you'll remember that I got a fairly graphic accounting from you when you returned after Christmas. Yes – I was horrified by what you told me and _no_, I cannot _imagine_ that it could get worse, but if that's what you're trying to tell me, then I will believe you. I know I can't do anything to make things better – I'm not stupid – but it now appears that I also can't _say _anything right! So, _you_ tell _me_, what do you need from me? What can I do? What do you need me to say that might help?"

"If I knew, you wouldn't have to say it to me, would you?"

Angry tears sprang to Kate's eyes. "Fine. Apparently, you know everything; you've got all the answers. Sleep – don't sleep; stay down here and pace in front of the fire all night; sit around and mope. It's your choice. You certainly don't need _me _sitting here trying to help; in fact, I can't figure out what you need me for at _all_!" Anger at full tilt, Kate bent down and picked up her book bag, jerking the strap over her shoulder. As she turned toward her own dormitory staircase, Kate felt a hand on her shoulder and she paused.

"I _do_ need you, Katie" Sirius whispered, his breath stirring her hair.

Kate turned to find him looking at her with a truly penitent expression on his face. She sighed and felt some of her anger leave on the exhale. "You know, Sirius, I understand how important it is to you to show the world this very tough, very independent persona. I _get_ it; it's the armor you wear to protect yourself. They see Black – what they _expect _to see based on reputation, not _Sirius, _not the person you _really_ _are_. The toughness and the whole Pureblood arrogance keep people at a distance. Sometimes, though, you distance the _wrong _people and I don't think you mean to do that."

"I don't ever want to distance _you_, Katie," he said, reaching for her hand and holding it tightly. "You're right about the armor bit; it's how I survive around people like Bellatrix and Narcissa. Doesn't work as well with my parents, but well enough – most of the time." Sirius studied her face. "Ever since Dumbledore told me that my mother would be here tomorrow, that's all I can think about. Every time I close my eyes, I can see her face – and I _hate_ that she has that kind of control over me; I hate _her_."

Kate dropped her book bag onto the floor and put her arms around his waist. "Sirius, everything about your family is based in hate. They _hate_ non-Purebloods. They _hate_ Dumbledore. Nothing will align you closer with your family than embracing that emotion, even if you are directing that hatred toward them."

Sirius returned her embrace, tightening his arms around the young witch. "I can't help what I feel about her, Kate – and I don't see that changing. She's earned my hatred – for the things you know about, and for so many more that you don't. But, I don't hate the way they do; I don't hate people because of their bloodlines or what House they were sorted into. So, that must count for _something_, eh? That must mean that I'm not as bad as they are."

"You're _nothing _like them," Kate replied. "I just want _you _to realize that, too."

"I'm sorry I was a git to you earlier," Sirius kissed her forehead gently. "You didn't deserve it."

"You're forgiven," she smiled, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes. "Are you feeling better?"

Sirius nodded. "A bit. Tired, though," he confessed.

"I'm not surprised. It's been a long day."

"And tomorrow …," Sirius began. Kate placed her fingers against his lips.

"…will be here soon enough," she finished. "I'm going to sleep; and you?"

"I'm headed to bed, as well."

They kissed softly before separating and heading toward their mutual stairways.

"Katie?"

She turned to find Sirius standing on the first step. "Yes?"

"Have coffee with me in the morning before I have to go to Dumbledore's office?"

Kate smiled. "Absolutely. I'll meet you here at 7?"

Sirius smiled in return. "Thank you."

She nodded and continued up the staircase to her dormitory. Sirius stood for a moment longer then took himself off to his own bed – calmer, certainly, but still dreading what the morning would bring.

XXXXXXXX

"Dumbledore would do very well to realize that the _Blacks_ are not to be kept waiting in some common reception area," Walburga Black spat, declining Minerva McGonagall's invitation to sit while waiting for the Headmaster to arrive. Walburga's expression may have exemplified haughty disdain; the Transfiguration professor's tightly compressed lips and crackling eyes were proof of _her_ barely restrained temper.

"Most of the Headmaster's visitors find it preferable to standing in the school entrance hall," she returned. "But if you would like to wait there …" Minerva gestured toward the hallway beyond the gargoyle guarded staircase, half-turning as if to leave – and jumped slightly as the sight of Dumbledore standing not a foot away from her. His amused smile did nothing to mollify Minerva's temper. She leaned in slightly and muttered, "Would it _kill _you to make a bit of noise instead of sneaking up on a person?" A slight incline of his head and a momentary widening of his smile was the only indication he'd even heard her.

"Thank you, Professor. Please give us a few moments and then send young Mr. Black to my office." Dumbledore stepped around the irritated witch and approached the Blacks. "Thank you both for coming; I apologize for making you wait. Shall we?" He gestured toward the staircase that led to his office; silently giving the password that allowed them access.

"Please, have a seat," the Headmaster gestured toward two comfortable chairs in front of his desk and waited until the couple had situated themselves before offering them tea – which both declined with a bare minimum of courtesy.

"We have not come here to exchange pleasantries, Dumbledore," Orion Black said gravely. "We have come to collect Sirius and bring him back to Grimmauld Place."

Dumbledore rested his folded hands atop his desk and fixed his gaze on his guests. "And his education?"

Walburga waved one elegantly manicured hand in dismissal. "We will address Sirius' educational needs at home; clearly, Hogwarts has been a most unsuitable choice for him."

Dumbledore nodded once. "From your perspective, perhaps so, but from _mine_, I'm afraid that I must respectfully disagree with you. If I were to base my opinion on what I observed of your treatment of Sirius over Christmas, I would say that Hogwarts was the safest choice for him." He paused, "As I explained to _you_, Orion, at that time."

Walburga's face drained of color and her expression was mutinous as she glanced at her husband before turning her attention back to the Headmaster. "You may be the head of this school, Dumbledore, but you do _not_ dictate the actions we take with our _son_. That is a bit beyond the scope of your authority – despite what you may think. Orion and I will handle Sirius – and direct his education and upbringing in the manner _we _see fit." She began to rise, but her husband reached over and placed a hand on her arm.

"Dumbledore, I well remember our conversation, but certainly you do not believe that you can withhold our son from us. He has brought shame to our family by his irresponsible behavior since returning to school," Orion glanced at his wife to ensure that she had resettled in her seat before continuing. "His inappropriate behavior has caused the termination of a marriage contract between the Blacks and another Pureblood family. There are consequences to such actions."

"Indeed," Dumbledore's voice took on a hard edge. "As there are for those who would physically abuse a child – their _own _child. That behavior is more than 'inappropriate'; it is _criminal_ – and would bring more than 'shame' upon you if it were to become public knowledge." Walburga gasped at his words and struggled against her husband's grasp, which had tightened around her wrist. "Ah yes," the Headmaster continued. "I am well aware of the importance you place on reputation and image, Mrs. Black. Rest assured, I have no desire to expose you to the social vagaries this sordid situation would bring." He paused again, ensuring that he had their exclusive attention. When both were looking up at him, he added, "No _desire_ – however, if it meant sparing Sirius further harm, I would also have _no qualms_ about doing so."

"I assure you, Dumbledore, I will keep my word. No further harm will befall Sirius after we arrive back in London. He will be sent elsewhere to school – perhaps to Durmstrang …" Orion began.

"No!" Walburga leapt to her feet. "I will _not _be told what to do with my own _son_! He will _not _be sent elsewhere to school. I will handle his education as I did before he was old enough to attend Hogwarts. If you are too weak to stand up to him, Orion, then I will certainly do so." Breathing heavily, Walburga stood facing Dumbledore – his desk between them. When he was sure she had nothing further to add, Dumbledore began to speak.

"Please, Walburga, be seated." When she remained standing, a look of haughty arrogance and high temper on her face, the wizard shrugged. "As you wish. I can speak just as easily if you do not. Please allow me to explain how this morning will work. Sirius, I suspect, is on the other side of that door – or will be, shortly. When he joins us, you may both take as long as you wish speaking with him about the dissolution of the marriage contract with the Bullstrode family. You may speak with him about the cause of that dissolution. Please note that I said, 'speak', for that is all I will allow you to do. There will be no punishment meted out – and no physical contact unless Sirius permits it. Ask him whatever you wish to ask, but when the talking is finished, Sirius will remain here at school, while you both will return to London."

"You cannot deny us our son, Dumbledore!" It was Orion's turn to be outraged.

"Oh, but I am not doing so," the Headmaster advised the man quietly. "I have given this matter a great deal of thought, you see. While I am prepared to pursue what happened to Sirius legally – and publically, if need be – it is a nasty piece of business and I wish not to have the school associated with it. There is another way that I can ensure that Sirius remains here at Hogwarts – one that is highly preferable than taking your abusive ways to the Ministry. When you signed the contract permitting Sirius – and Regulus, come to that – to be educated at Hogwarts, that contract spoke to their entire educational career at this school. One of the tenants of the agreement was that the Headmaster had full authority over the welfare of the students entrusted to his care – throughout the full term of that career. The contract is specific and absolute. Unless Sirius fails to achieve the educational standards expected of all students, his attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry is guaranteed and iron clad. If he continues to meet our educational standards, even _I _can only dismiss him if he commits an infraction or exhibits behavior that is so egregious in nature that it brings great harm to the school. He has not done so. _You_, on the other hand, can only remove him from our school in the proven case of extreme emergency – such as a death in your family that obligates the young wizard to assume his place as head of the family _or _if the Board of Governors declares that the school is unsafe, derelict in its responsibilities or has failed to provide the education and experience for which we are contractually obligated. Again, none of those situations exists. There is another means by which you could remove Sirius from this school and return him to your home in London – and that would be if Sirius, himself, requested it. I think that's highly unlikely, don't you?" Dumbledore gave the stunned parents a satisfied smile.

"We will challenge the contract," Walburga began. "I remember no such …"

"Walburga," Orion said quietly. "Leave it." He looked over at his wife. "It doesn't matter now."

"Of course it matters," she spat. "He cannot order us about in this manner."

"Enough!" Orion's voice rose for the first time that morning. Walburga's mouth snapped shut in response and, observing that, he spoke again – more quietly this time. "Enough. Dumbledore, you said that Sirius would join us for a discussion. I would very much like that to happen. We will endeavor to be civil, however, while Sirius' behavior may not qualify under the contract terms you mentioned, it is _egregious_ in our eyes and, as his parents, we must address it."

Dumbledore inclined his head. "I have no desire to act the part of parent in your stead. I will ask Sirius to join us if he has, in fact, arrived."

"Dumbledore," Walburga spoke up, her voice like ice, "while I, of course, will acquiesce to my husband's wishes, I must insist that you excuse yourself from the meeting and allow us to speak with Sirius alone – privately."

Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "I regret that I am unable to honor that request. I have promised Sirius that I will remain with him whilst you meet. I will not betray his trust by reneging on that promise."

"I find it difficult to believe that he asked you to be present," Walburga retorted.

"I can assure you, madam, that he did; after what happened to him at Christmas, I felt more than obligated to agree." Dumbledore spared a second glance at Orion before crossing the room and opening the door of his office.

Looking out into the seating area, the Headmaster smiled at the young wizard standing there. "We're ready for you, Sirius," he said kindly, extending is arm toward the boy.

Sirius blinked once and moved forward, face pale. He felt Dumbledore's arm encircle his shoulders. "Come along, son. It will be fine, I assure you."

"How is she?" Sirius asked in a whisper. Dumbledore did not have to ask to whom he referred.

"In need of a strong cheering charm, I'm afraid," the Headmaster replied. "Your conversation with them may be a bit difficult, but you will not be returning with them. When it is over, you will return to your dormitory."

Sirius exhaled sharply. "Thank you, Professor; but how did you manage to …?"

"Convince them?" At the boy's nod, he smiled. "That is a story for later. For now, let's not keep your parents waiting any longer. The sooner we begin our conversation, the sooner they can be on their way, yes?"

Sirius entered the room and seated himself in a chair that Dumbledore had conjured and thoughtfully positioned closer to his own side of the desk than to his parents'. _Bloody Siberia couldn't be far enough away_, he thought to himself. Sirius glanced briefly at his mother and immediately wished he had not done so. Her face was the one that haunted his nightmares.

"Sirius, your parents wish to discuss recent events surrounding your engagement to young Ms. Bullstrode. I've told them that we will remain here, in this office, as long as it takes for that discussion to come to a natural conclusion. You will not, however, be returning to London with them. When we have finished here, you will return to your dormitory. Are we all clear?" Dumbledore glanced around him and, satisfied that things appeared to be headed in the right direction, sat back in his chair and waited for the discussion to begin. It didn't take long.

"Sirius, as you know, Ofelia's father has owled us with the news of your recent indiscretion with another witch – an indiscretion that was, unfortunately, discovered by your former fiancée and her brother," Orion's voice was controlled, but steely. "Is what he has told us the truth?"

"Yes."

"Have you slept with this witch?" Walburga's tone was harsh.

"Well, we didn't really _sleep_."

Sirius glanced over at his Headmaster, who was studying the brocade on the cuff of his sleeve with great interest. Sirius was certain he saw a slight upturn in the corner of Dumbledore's mouth.

"I do not find your tawdry comment amusing, young man," she replied.

Dumbledore cleared his throat softly. "Perhaps we could dispense with the more … _colorful _… responses, Sirius, in consideration for your mother's more refined _sensibilities_."

"Yes, sir."

"Mother, if you were asking me if I had intercourse with that witch then the answer would be yes."

"While you were engaged to Ofelia?"

"Before – and, well – when Arturo was hiding under an Invisibility Cloak with Ofelia and caught me out," Sirius amended. "We weren't actually … well, we might have gotten there if we weren't interrupted."

"Did you not understand me when I told you that you were to give up these dalliances and focus on spending time with Ofelia, as the contract – and the Bullstrodes themselves – dictated?" It was Orion's turn to steer the interrogation.

"I understood, Father, and I _did _spend time getting to know Ofelia. Ask anyone – including Bellatrix and Narcissa. They probably wouldn't want to tell you the truth, but if they had to, they would say that I was seen with Ofelia often – and that she spent time with _me _in the Gryffindor Common Room," Sirius said.

"And that Morgan witch? What of _her_?" Walburga spat. "I suppose you expect us to believe that you did what you were told and broke it off with her upon your return to school."

"I don't expect you to believe anything I say," Sirius said quietly. "But I _did _stop seeing Kate." _Sort of; for a while, at any rate._

"It is preferable to us that you return to Grimmauld Place at once, but, as you know, Dumbledore will not permit it," Walburga stated, her eyes boring into her son's. "If we are able to do so, Sirius, there will be another contract; another Pureblood bride and this time, you _will _abide by the terms of the marriage contract. Your father and I will be actively seeking such an arrangement, as difficult as you have now ensured that search will be. When you return home in June – and you _will _return home, Sirius, – we hope to have such a contract in place. Until then, you are to do nothing further to bring shame to our family. You cannot escape us, my son; there are those here who will be happy to report your transgressions to us. Once they have been made known, you may rest assured that there will be consequences to bear."

Dumbledore's eyes had snapped up to observe the impact Walburga Black's words had on her son. He was dismayed, but unsurprised, to see Sirius begin to tremble at the barely concealed threat his mother had made against him.

"That will do, I think," he interrupted softly. "I believe your comments fall under the portion of our contract that requires me to act in the best interests of my students. I do not believe that your comments _are _in Sirius' best interests and so I think our discussion has reached its conclusion."

Orion stood, reaching down and taking his wife's arm to assist her to her feet. "I am not accustomed to being ordered about, Dumbledore – particularly where access to my children are concerned," Walburga said. "I am of half a mind to bring your behavior before the Board of Governors for review. I am certain they would be most interested in hearing how you have treated us here today. Claiming to be acting in the best interests of your students by denying their parents' wishes to remove them from this school is simply not to be tolerated! Perhaps you would find that they invoke the clause in your precious contract that allows students to be dismissed due to unsafe conditions within the school." An unpleasant smile accompanied her words as she turned to follow her husband to the door.

As Dumbledore walked behind them he replied, "Perhaps so, Walburga. On the other hand, perhaps it is you who would be surprised when I brought to light the _unsafe conditions_ that exist for young Sirius in your very own home."

A startled gasp met his words and neither Black looked directly at the Headmaster as he opened the door to facilitate their exit. "Have a pleasant journey back to London," he said courteously and, in the next moment, the Blacks were gone.

Dumbledore turned back to see Sirius standing in front of the chair he had so recently occupied. "What was that all about?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Ah – well, I simply pointed out a few clauses in our Hogwarts enrollment contract that took your Mother rather by surprise," Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled behind his half-moon glasses.

"Clauses?" Sirius thought back to his Hogwarts letter and the accompanying parchments. "Was there a contract?"

"Yes, indeed. It speaks of tuition amounts, uniforms, testing schedules throughout each student's time with us, Hogsmeade visits and the like."

"But nothing about students being pulled out of here by their parents if there are unsafe conditions?"

Dumbledore remained silent, doing nothing to alleviate Sirius' growing concern now that a new thought had entered his head.

"But, Professor, if my parents were to go home and re-read the contract … wouldn't they realize that you'd …"

"Colored the truth?" the Headmaster smiled. "Sirius, come with me for a moment."

The two walked back to Dumbledore's desk and the Headmaster waved open one of the deep, built-in cupboards. He raised his hand in the air and began flipping his fingers about as if rifling through papers. After several moments had passed, a file rose from the collection in the drawer and, guided by a graceful movement from the ancient wizard's hand, fell to the top of the desk. Sirius could clearly see his own name written in heavy black script on the file tab. With a wink in Sirius' direction, Dumbledore opened the file and withdrew a single sheet of parchment that bore the title, "Enrollment Agreement – Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" in its center. Sirius watched, enraptured, as Dumbledore picked up his wand and began making a series of circular motions in the air above the parchment. As he looked down at the form, Sirius was amazed to see words rearranging themselves as new sentences and paragraphs were added. When it was finished, Dumbledore placed his wand back on the desk and picked up the parchment for closer inspection.

"Just as I thought," he said, smiling broadly. "I am so sorry to have alarmed you unnecessarily, Sirius. It would appear that the required language is here after all!"

Sirius' eyes widened. "But … my parents' copy won't have been changed …"

Dumbledore held up one hand, then closed his eyes and began to mutter an incantation Sirius had never heard before. Finishing with a wave of his hand over the amended parchment, Sirius saw the newly added sections glow briefly before returning to their previous state.

Turning to Sirius, Dumbledore smiled. "It has, now."


	33. Interlude

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Sexual situations

Chapter 33 – Interlude

In the days and weeks that followed, life seemed to settle into a relatively placid routine – and everyone concerned breathed a cautious sigh of relief.

Upcoming O.W.L.s were on the students' minds, largely due to Remus' consistent reminders. '_Reminders!'_ Sirius snorted one evening in the Common Room, choosing instead, 'constant, shrew-like harping!' as _his _description. "They're not 'til _spring_, Moony," the dark-haired wizard reminded his best mate, pulling his chair a bit closer to the blazing fire. "And it doesn't feel like spring will get here any _bloody_ time soon!"

Despite Remus' rolled eyes as he reached for his Potions textbook, he was inclined to agree with Sirius. January had turned out to be one of the coldest on record, with below freezing temperatures during the day as well as overnight. To make matters worse, the middle of the month brought strong winds that wound icy tendrils into any gaps in robes and cloaks and proved challenging to even the strongest warming charm. As the unusual chill persisted into February, students and faculty alike were inspired to remain inside the castle, nestled in front of crackling fires and sipping hot chocolate when not attending classes.

The relationship between Sirius and Kate was developing nicely now that they were free to spend time together publicly. The emotional pull toward Kate was stronger than ever for Sirius and he found that he felt most grounded, most at peace and certainly happiest when he was with her. For her part, Kate relished spending time with Sirius. The conversation with and warnings from her mother no longer intruded upon her thoughts and Kate, too, found her feelings for the young wizard growing stronger each and every day. They had managed to secret themselves away from their friends on several occasions, burrowing down in the Room of Requirement where they talked and filled in the gaps of their knowledge of one another. While careful not to let things get too far out of hand, the young couple also explored their more romantic feelings for each other and Kate acknowledged that – young though she might be – she was now completely in love with Sirius. For his part, Sirius knew that he had fallen long ago.

To all outward appearances, the now-single Ofelia was a convincing "jilted fiancée" and often appeared pale and tired at mealtimes and in her own Common Room. While the Slytherins were grimly thrilled to place the blame on Sirius, Ofelia privately told Kate and Lily that morning sickness – and not her own acting abilities – was the true culprit. Although she could not openly consort with her Gryffindor friends as she did before, the group would periodically meet for tea, study or simple conversation in the Room of Requirement. One Saturday afternoon, a month or so after the Blacks had visited Hogwarts, Ofelia and Sirius met in the abandoned classroom beyond the library and he finally told her about the meeting with Dumbledore and his parents. Ofelia laughed merrily at the Headmaster's duplicity, finding so much enjoyment in Sirius' tale that he cast a quick Silencing charm in the event her voice carried into the corridor. The two Purebloods had, as Dumbledore had observed, become good friends – a great surprise to Sirius who had never considered that "birds" could be friends and not just romantic partners. Once she recovered herself, Ofelia shared that she and Michael had re-established their communications with weekly owls flying to and from London.

"He is planning to speak with his parents when he returns home for the summer holiday," the young witch told him. "He is confident that even if their initial reaction is not in our favor, they will come around quite soon. Regardless, I will tell my parents and we will make plans to meet with the Delacour family well before the baby is born." Ofelia's smile was so confident that Sirius refrained from sharing his views on the topic. He may not have spent much time in the presence of the Bullstrodes, but it had been sufficient for him to realize that Ofelia's family was as impressed with bloodlines, money and position as was his own. Based on what Ofelia had said about Michael's family, their estate in France would probably be enough to win them over. And, of course, the Bullstrodes seemed to actually love _their_child, so as long as Michael treated her well, Sirius supposed Ofelia would have the fairy tale ending she so obviously wanted. He scarcely begrudged her; while he realized that his own path was far from idyllic, Sirius certainly hoped that he and Kate would be able to stay together. Much would depend upon his parents' obsession with locating another "suitable" bride for their elder son. As reports of Sirius' behavior toward Ofelia swept through the dungeons, students shared the story, via owl post, with their families at home. Sirius was virtually certain that Walburga would find the road to the next marriage contract a very bumpy one, indeed. Trouble was, Sirius would most certainly be the focus of her frustration once he returned home for the summer holidays.

In keeping with his opinion of the Black family as a whole – and Sirius in particular – Arturo was very solicitous of his sister's apparent 'humiliation' at the boorish – if expected – behavior of her former fiancé. Sirius really had expected nothing less of the Bullstrode heir. After all, Arturo not only succeeded in breaking his family's connection with the distasteful Blacks, he also had taken back the unfaithful – then scorned – Delilah. Apparently, the young witch was sufficiently remorseful, allowing Arturo to magnanimously forgive her – and smooth his own ruffled feathers in the bargain.

"You should be careful of them, Sirius," Ofelia said somberly. "Their combined anger is very strong – and their egos have been considerably bruised in all of this."

Sirius snorted. "So you think they're out for revenge against me? Ofelia, believe me; Arturo's ego was tweaked by Delilah herself and he has forgiven her to the extent that they're together again – this time publicly. And Delilah has her claws into a rich, fellow Pureblood yet again, so she's happy. I'm certain that all I have to look forward to is some nasty gossip and, after all, I'm used to _that_!"

"I just think that you should keep your eyes open. If I happen to overhear anything I think you should know, I'll get word to you," Ofelia said.

"And I will do the same for you," he promised.

The two sat quietly for a few moments before Ofelia spoke again. "I want to ask something of you – and of your friends."

"Yeah, sure," Sirius shrugged. "What do you need?

"I know how you feel about Severus and, most of the time, I cannot blame you; he has a … difficult personality – for which there are truly many reasons," Ofelia leaned forward. "He has been most kind to me, however and I feel that he has proved himself a true friend to me – particularly since our 'breakup'."

"And…?"

"_And_ I would like you to leave him be for a while. He has enough to contend with _without_ having to look over his shoulder for you lot all the time. Please."

Sirius shook his head. "It's not one sided, Ofelia; he often provokes things. I also cannot speak for the others – _but_, if Snape steers clear of me, I won't provoke anything with _him_. That's the best I can promise you." _And I can't believe I've done _this _much._

"Well, I suppose that's enough to be going on with," Ofelia replied, rising. "I must get back before I'm missed."

"I'll walk with you to the staircase."

As Ofelia walked ahead of him, she caught her robes on a jagged piece of wood that poked out from a stack of broken desk chairs. The result was a large tear in the front of the spruce green fabric. "Damn. My grandmother gave these to me at Christmas," she said irritably.

"Can't you do a spell to fix them?"

"Perhaps _someone _can; I am rubbish at household spells," came the rueful reply.

"Well, don't ask any of _my _cousins," Sirius grinned wryly. "They are no more gifted." He opened the heavy door and gestured for Ofelia to precede him. As she did so, her soft gasp reached his ears and Sirius instinctively moved back, flattening himself against the wall. Ofelia's hand soon appeared behind her and she waved at him to signal that he should remain where he was.

"Ofelia, are you quite alright?"

_Snape,_ Sirius recognized the rich baritone of the Slytherin student. _What's _he _doing here?_

"Severus! You startled me," Sirius could hear the surprise as Ofelia greeted Snape.

"What on earth are you doing in an abandoned classroom? And your robes are torn! Ofelia, did someone force … is there someone _else _in there?"

"Severus, _please_. I assure you that I am quite fine. I simply wanted to …" Ofelia began, but stopped when behind her she heard the scrape of Sirius' boot against the stone flooring.

"_Black_," Snape's voice dripped acid as his eyes took in the wizard standing directly behind Ofelia.

"Snape," Sirius inclined his head. "Nothing like a bit of stalking on a cold winter's day, eh?"

"_Swine_. How _dare_ you intimate that _I _would …" The tall wizard stopped, shifting his focus back to Ofelia, taking in her pale complexion and torn robes. His own face white as parchment, black eyes glittering, he reached out for Ofelia's hand, while fixing his gaze on Sirius. "Ofelia, please step away from the doorway."

Sirius tightened his grip on his wand, securely stored in the pocket of his robes. While he felt confident that he could best Snape in a fair duel, he also knew that the Slytherin was fast, cunning and rarely played fair.

Ofelia remained firmly planted. "Severus, _no_. Stop this _at once._ Whatever you may think is happening here, you are very wrong. Sirius and I were simply having a conversation."

Severus' eyes never left the other wizard's face. "A _simple_ _conversation_ that has left you so pale? A _simple_ _conversation_ that has left your robes _torn_? A _simple conversation_ that has the other party hiding like the _coward he is_ against the wall of an abandoned _classroom_?" With each sentence, the tone of the enraged wizard's voice became darker, more malevolent. Even Sirius was forced to acknowledge that Severus' rage was a force to be reckoned with.

Sirius took a deep breath and fought to keep an answering sarcasm from his own voice. "Not that this is any of your business, but I wanted to apologize to Ofelia for the embarrassment I caused her. I was not _hiding_, as you suggest, but merely trying to avoid causing her further discomfort within her House."

Ofelia placed a conciliatory hand on Severus' arm. "It is exactly as he says, Severus," she said softly. "And my robes were torn because I caught them on a broken chair as we made to leave; Sirius had nothing to do with that."

Severus finally tore his eyes away from Sirius and he looked down at Ofelia, his anger now mixed with something very much akin to regretful recognition. "Ofelia, you do not need to make excuses for him out of fear. We can consult with Arturo and the three of us speak with Dumbledore. But you must not _shield_ him if he has harmed you in any way; if he has _forced _you into something you did not agree to on your own…"

"That's _enough_, Snape," Sirius' fury was at full strength – it crackled the air around them and it matched Snape's in both power and intensity. "I would _never _harm a woman; I would _never _force myself on anyone. That's what you're insinuating here, isn't it, you great, bloody _wanker_!"

"That _is _enough," Ofelia stepped more directly between the two wizards and raised her voice to a level neither boy remembered hearing. "Severus, we have both told you the truth of why we are here. You may believe us or choose not to do so - I personally do not care. I will _not_, however, have you fabricating stories about what _you _think happened. I thought we were friends, Severus, but here you are, making up lies rather than accepting that I have told you the truth. Perhaps I grossly overestimated your esteem. Perhaps we are _not_ the friends that I thought we were."

Severus drew back as if the young witch had struck him. He was silent for a few moments then inclined his head slightly in her direction, two identical spots of color appearing in his cheeks. "I apologize if I have offended you, Ofelia. I assure you that I hold you in the highest esteem; my behavior can be blamed exclusively on my sincere desire to keep you from harm. Forgive me, please."

Sirius' eyes widened. He had never seen Snape humbled into apology. While a part of his brain observed the scene with great glee, the more rational side recalled his earlier promise to Ofelia and he resolutely refrained from comment. _But my tongue is likely to be bitten in half with the effort._

"I will forgive you, of course," Ofelia was saying quietly. "But this matter stays _here_ – just among us three – yes?"

Snape's eyes narrowed as he glanced over at Sirius who calmly returned his gaze.

"Severus?"

"As you wish, Ofelia." Snape paused then leaned toward the witch and spoke. "But know this: Should I observe _anything _that convinces me that you are being hurt in any way – by _Black_ or anyone else – the perpetrator will have _me_ to deal with. And I will _not _be easily silenced."

Ofelia's eyes widened at the intensity of feeling in Severus' voice – and in his eyes. "I appreciate your concern, Severus; thank you." In response, the Slytherin extended his arm to Ofelia and, as she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, she glanced over her shoulder toward Sirius. "Thank you for everything you said, Sirius," Ofelia called out as Severus led her down the hallway. Sirius nodded in response and, once the pair had turned the corner, he stepped thoughtfully into the corridor and began the long walk back to his own Common Room. _Keeping _this_ promise to Ofelia was definitely going to be a challenge._

XXXXXXXX

The silence that greeted Sirius as he climbed through the portrait hole confirmed the lateness of the hour. The absence of lounging students was a good indication that dinner was in full swing in the Great Hall.

"And why aren't _you _downstairs eating dinner with your band of merry men?" Kate's amused voice sounded from the overstuffed chair in the shadows of the far corner.

Feeling an immediate warmth slide through his system, Sirius strode in the direction of her voice and found Kate smiling up at him.

"Must have sensed that you were still up here," he said quietly, extending his hand down to her. "Come here, you." Kate closed her fingers around his warm palm and squeaked a little in surprise as she was pulled up from her chair and into his arms. "Maybe there _is _something to that Divination rubbish after all!"

"Mmm," she said, smiling into the side of his neck. "This is _much _nicer than a bowl of mutton stew."

Sirius huffed a laugh that ruffled the hair at her temple. "Blimey, Kate, I would _hope_ I have more appeal than _mutton_!"

Kate pulled back to look at him. "Just," she teased, leaning up to kiss his lips gently, smiling at the sudden and sharp intake of breath it provoked from him.

"I think I'll just have a bit more of that, thanks," he whispered, lowering his face to hers and kissing her much more deeply.

Kate's arms came up around Sirius' neck and her fingers played through his hair as she returned his kisses with equal feeling. "I've wanted this all day," Kate whispered against his lips.

"Katie," Sirius murmured, voice rough, when finally they broke for air. His lips trailed down her jaw line, coming to rest at her ear. He placed soft kisses on the sensitive lobe, delighting in the taste of her, delighting in the fact that he _could_ do this after so many months of subterfuge. "I think I've wanted this since that day in the Common Room, right after Christmas. When you didn't run away after I told you about my family. It feels like I've known you so much longer than I have."

"I know. It's a bit frightening, isn't it? To feel this way after so little time together. I can't explain it, and I'm tired of wasting all my energy trying to figure it out – especially when it feels like it's supposed to be this way." Turning her face until she could see his eyes, Kate placed her hands on either side of his head and gently tugged him back down until their lips met again. This kiss was every bit as scorching as the first and Sirius happily allowed himself to be pulled closer and closer to the flames. Kate's teeth nibbled his lips, ceasing only when his tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, dancing over the sensitive contours and eliciting tiny whimpers from the back of her throat. He felt himself harden and he wound his arms more tightly around her waist pulling her closer until his erection pressed against her hip. "Katie," he breathed, shivering at the delicious feeling. He groaned softly. "Katie," he whispered once more. The heat was building and he knew it would overtake him if he did not stop quickly. He tore his lips from her neck and drew a deep shuddering breath, gently pushing back from her and striving to bring himself under control. A quick glance at her face was almost his undoing. Kate stood in place, eyes closed, face flushed, lips moist and slightly swollen from his caresses. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "Sirius," she whispered. "Why …?" Kate searched his eyes, then her gaze shifted downward and her expression cleared. She took a step toward him and smoothed his hair back from his damp brow. "Oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let things…" her voice trailed off.

"It's ok," he said, raggedly. "I'll be fine. I'll just head up to the …" Sirius' eyes shifted toward the stairs. "Showers are always cold this time of day anyway." He smiled ruefully.

Kate shook her head. "Let me … I'm not … you know, but Sirius, even if I'm not very experienced, I would certainly better than a cold shower. We could …" she reached for his hand, intent upon finding a decidedly more private place where they could be truly alone.

Sirius smiled and to his own amazement, he took her extended hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm gently. "Katie-girl, it's more than _you _not being ready; _we're _not ready." He paused and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, perhaps we're a _bit_ ready." He smiled wryly. "Listen, I want this to happen because we're ready for it on all levels – not just physically. I won't lie; I've slept with witches for the physical reasons – just for the release. I don't do that anymore; I don't _want _to be that way anymore. I want it to be different with you, ok?"

Kate nodded. "I'm sorry I let things get so …" she cast about for the right word.

"Over heated?" Sirius supplied. At her nod, he smiled. "Well, then, that cold shower should put things right…and you weren't exactly the only person in the room, were you? Tell you what – wait for me, yeah? I'll be back in a few minutes and we'll go have dinner, ok? Sit down and – I don't know - read something; make Remus proud."

Kate nodded, chuckling and walked toward the corner chair and the book that had fallen on the floor when Sirius had pulled her to her feet. As she settled, Kate looked over at Sirius, who was just beginning to walk up the staircase toward the dorm. "Sirius," she called quietly and he turned, eyebrows raised in question. "It's not because I don't want you, you know. I want this very much." She bit her lower lip as she watched his face flush in response.

"Doesn't make it easier," he said with a slight smile. "But I love hearing it all the same."

With a nod, he turned and ran up the stairs.

"I know how you feel," Kate murmured, finding her page and trying to focus on the words in front of her. "I know _exactly _how you feel."

XXXXXXXX

"I'm pleased to see that your appetite seems to have returned," Arturo remarked at dinner.

Ofelia smiled as she glanced down at the roasted chicken, baked potato and sliced tomatoes on her plate. "Yes. My stomach doesn't feel as unsettled this evening."

Arturo nodded again. "I have been worried about you, you know."

Ofelia impulsively reached over and squeezed her brother's hand. "I know you have and I appreciate it – truly I do. I will be fine."

"I must admit that I was surprised to see you so affected by Black's … _defection_, particularly in light of our earlier discussions about the arrangement," Arturo continued.

"I was not then – nor am I now – infatuated with Sirius. As you know, we had established a rapport, as per our parents' mutual instructions and, I suppose I resented his blatant association with that Hornsby girl. Wounded pride, most likely," Ofelia replied as she picked up her fork again. "This whole thing has been most unsettling. I feel a bit like chattel, I'll confess."

"Families in our class always arrange the marriages of their children, 'felia. You know this. Now that the Black family is out of the picture, Father will seek a new arrangement for you; it is our way."

Ofelia thought of Michael's face and her free hand unconsciously moved to rest on her stomach. _Hopefully, nothing will come of that effort before summer_.

"Are you feeling ill again?" Arturo's gaze fell on Ofelia's hand.

"No, no," Ofelia's reply was quick. "I do believe I've had enough, however. I believe I'll return to our Common Room and read a bit." She made to rise, but Arturo reached over and placed his hand on her arm.

"Wait a moment. Black and his _witch du jour_ are just coming into the Hall. You needn't risk running into them. It _will _ruin your meal," his voice was low and laced with disdain.

"Arturo, please. There's no need to carry a grudge. After all, _you _were determined to stop any affiliation with the Black family. You should be pleased that you got your wish. There's nothing to be gained by perpetuating ill will."

Her brother sighed, his eyes never leaving Sirius and Kate as they settled themselves among their friends at the Gryffindor table. "There's just something _about_ that lot that I don't like."

Ofelia gave her brother an amused smile. "Something _other _than the fact that they're Gryffindor, you mean?"

"It's the attitude, the air of _entitlement_ that surrounds the four of them – as if they can commit any transgression they choose without ramification or consequence. Times are changing, Ofelia and you mark my words – there will come a day when witches and wizards like _them_ will not be able to put on airs and look down on the rest of us."

"Isn't that rather backward, Arturo? Aren't _we _the ones putting on airs and lording pureblooded superiority over everyone _else_? Really, their behavior is nothing more than schoolboy posturing…." Ofelia wasn't permitted to finish before her brother dove in again.

"It is from such '_schoolboy posturing'_ that adult wizards are formed, Ofelia. And those adult wizards will shape the future of our world. Already, that _Potter_ boy has gotten himself involved with a Muggle-born witch, so _that _liaison, if it happens, will dilute the blood stock. Then, there's Black, about whom I need say nothing further. Pettigrew is a useless lump of a wizard who will amount to _nothing_, in my opinion. He's a follower, to be sure; Black and Potter dictate his every action – for now, at any rate. If they move on, Pettigrew will latch onto someone new, like a barnacle to the bottom of a ship. Why, if it wasn't for Lupin helping him along in Potions, Severus said that Pettigrew would have blown himself to bits by now." Arturo's eyes narrowed as he looked over at the Gryffindor table. "_Lupin_. There's something…_off_ about him, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Severus says he's absent rather a lot; he certainly appears a sickly specimen, doesn't he?"

Ofelia glanced over her shoulder at the wizard in question. He _did_ appear tired and had circles beneath his eyes. She recalled an earlier conversation involving Remus' health and he had assured her that he was quite fine. _I hope he isn't seriously ill_, Ofelia thought, returning the smile he sent to her when their eyes connected. _He's such a kind person._

Turning back to her brother, Ofelia's voice was firm. "I think he's quite nice; very intelligent and respectful to others. There are members of our own House who could take a page from his book – your precious _Malfoy_ amongst them. My advice to you is to tend to your own business and leave the Gryffindor students alone. They've done nothing to _you_, have they? In fact, Sirius' transgressions have even gotten you the fair Delilah once again." She rose. "And now, I _am _leaving!" With that she turned and walked swiftly to the door of the Great Hall, exiting without a backward glance.

Arturo watched her, somewhat stunned at her outburst.

"What on earth did you say that aroused such ire in your sister, Arturo?" Lucius Malfoy wore his trademark smirk as he slid into Ofelia's vacated spot.

Arturo shook his head. "Can't think," he said.

"Female trouble, perhaps," Lucius oozed. "Witches can be _so_ unpredictable and high strung during such times. Perhaps I should offer her my company later to see if I can improve her mood."

Arturo thought of his sister's rather unflattering comment about the other wizard and shook his head. "I wouldn't recommend it, Lucius. Let her be for a while. I'm sure she'll seek you out if she wishes to spend time with you." _But I wouldn't bet my last galleon on it._

Lucius inclined his head. "As you wish." _For now._

Arturo's gaze shifted toward the Gryffindor table from which the sound of happy chatter and laughter could clearly be heard. Lucius turned his head to see what had captured the other wizard's interest. Settling his gaze on Kate who was seated between Sirius and Remus, his smirk returned. "Ms. Morgan has captured your eye, has she?" The sound of Arturo's derisive snort brought the blonde's attention back sharply to his own table.

"Hardly," Arturo replied. "She may be Pure, but her parents have long had questionable loyalties." He lifted his chin in the direction of her two dinner companions. "Obviously, she's inherited the gene pool. Consorting with _Black_ and his crowd."

"Well, you know Black's story, of course; no surprises there. I suppose having the two of _them_ paired off isn't as bad as it _could _be. At least they won't sully the bloodlines of _respected, traditional_ families, will they?"

Arturo nodded, his expression thoughtful. "There's sense in that theory, I suppose. _Still_, you have Potter and that _mudblood_, Evans; if that holds, the Potter blood will be contaminated."

"At what cost, really? The Potters may be a pureblood family, but they abandoned the old ways long ago. It hardly matters what happens to their line as a result of …careless _breeding_, does it?"

"You two are certainly deep in conversation," Severus said quietly as he slid into the seat next to Arturo and began to ladle stew into his bowl. He glanced to his left and followed Arturo's gaze toward the Gryffindor table. "What have they done _now_?"

"Apparently, Arturo here objects to the fact that they're still _breathing_, Severus," Malfoy said, snidely.

Snape came as close to smiling as either of the other boys could remember. "An objection held by many, I'm sure. Regrettably, they all appear to be a rather durable lot, well …" his eyes narrowed. "…perhaps not _all_. Lupin appears _quite _unwell – _yet again_."

"Perhaps he should refrain from walking the grounds at night and his health would improve," Malfoy observed, helping himself to a large portion of apple crumble.

Snape's spoon paused midway between bowl and mouth. " '_Wandering the grounds'_? Whatever are you talking about, Lucius?"

Malfoy swallowed a mouthful of crumble and shrugged one shoulder. "Narcissa and I were returning from a late afternoon walk near the courtyard on Thursday. It was dusk and 'Cissa was _longing_ for a cup of tea." He rolled his eyes. "We heard footsteps in the distance and saw Lupin walking away from the castle in the direction of that blasted Willow tree."

"You didn't follow him?" Snape wanted to know.

"It's not the first time he's been seen on the grounds late in the day. Sinclair Parkinson saw Lupin heading in the same direction just before Christmas break; Black, Potter and Pettigrew tagged along afterward. Probably sneaking off for some illicit _trysting _with their respective partners. It was hardly worth my time, Severus. Besides, you know how Narcissa is when she's made up her mind about something," Lucius drawled. "I've found it best to simply go along with her and avoid the inevitable chill that comes from not doing so." He paused and looked over at his friend curiously. "Why do you _care _where he goes?"

"Black and his _gang _have managed to wreak havoc on our House since first year. I don't believe that Potter, Black or certainly Pettigrew have the combined intelligence to have planned any of those _activities_ without help – particularly those incidents that have involved potions work. We know that Lupin has demonstrated some ability in that area and I'm sure that he has been the mastermind behind some of the more embarrassing stunts they've pulled. He's clever enough not to get caught; it would be interesting to catch him out at _something_ to ensure that we are spared further embarrassment," Snape explained. "And, now that they've _all _been seen walking about, it seems worth further investigation.

"Severus, if we found something on Lupin, I'm certain the rest of that ragtag little group would be able to function without him. From what I've understood from Lucius, it doesn't sound as if they were out after curfew if other students on the grounds saw them as well. Really, it seems a bit of a wild goose chase to me." Arturo pushed his plate away and made to stand. "Personally, I've had about as much of Gryffindor House as I can take for one sitting. I think I'll go and check on Ofelia and make sure she's feeling better."

Severus looked sharply at the other wizard. "Is Ofelia ill again?" His thoughts turned to earlier in the day and the encounter he'd had with both the Black heir and his ex-fiancée.

Arturo shrugged. "I thought she was better. She had some dinner, but seemed to experience some stomach discomfort at the end. She's certainly in a foul mood," he recalled his sister's explosive commentary before she swept out of the Great Hall.

"Perhaps I'll go with you, Arturo. Certainly two wizards are better than one when it comes to raising the spirits of an attractive witch!" Malfoy stood and came round the table with a jovial air, clapping Arturo on the back as the two began to make their way toward the doors.

Severus watched them then shifted his attention to the Gryffindor table where the Marauders and their companions were preparing to take their leave as well. As Sirius reached for Kate's hand, he caught Severus' eye and frowned at the open hostility he saw reflected on the Slytherin's face. At that moment, Kate tugged on his hand so they could follow their friends from the Hall and Sirius tore his gaze away from Snape and walked toward the exit.

_There's more to these little excursions than meets the eye, Black_, Severus thought as he turned his attention back to his meal. _And I'm convinced that you've somehow gotten Ofelia mixed up in your sordid little affairs. I'll find out what you and your little friends are up to; and make no mistake about _that_. _


	34. A Secret Shared

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 34 – A Secret Shared

"Sirius, you're being paranoid," Remus said tiredly. "The Slytherins are paying no more attention to me now than they ever have."

The Marauders were in the hospital wing, seated around Remus' bed on the morning after the March full moon.

Sirius shook his head. "Snape has never been lurking in the corridors when we've been headed out to the Willow to meet you, Remus. He was hiding – not very well, mind – in a doorway when we passed by."

"He's right, Remus. We passed close enough to him to smell the dank of the dungeons on his robes," James affirmed. "We had to draw the cloak closer to avoid it sweeping across his arm."

"As it is, we're certain he sensed that some one was there," Peter picked nervously at a loose thread in Remus' blanket.

Remus wearily laid his head back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. When he opened them a moment later, he looked directly at Sirius. "I cannot believe that with no provocation, out of a clear blue sky, Severus Snape decided to lurk in the hallways of Hogwarts on the odd chance that he would catch the four of us out of bounds." His gaze swept over the other two Marauders briefly before returning to look sternly at Sirius. "Unless, of course, something _did _provoke him and I am not aware of it."

Sirius didn't flinch. "Remus, listen to me; Snape must have heard something – or felt the air shift as we passed him. He began to follow us and if Slughorn hadn't sneezed coming down the opposite corridor, I'm sure Snape would have been right behind us."

Remus' eyebrows rose and his mouth pinched into a thin, grim line. "If what you say is true, then perhaps we should abandon our full moon activities in future."

The three boys met this statement with a loud protest until Remus "shushed" them frantically, pointing toward Madam Pomfrey's office door. Once they were silent again, Remus continued. "I cannot afford to have Snape – or anyone else, come to that – find out about the wolf! Dumbledore has risked way too much for me to be here; and if I'm found out I'll have to leave and quite likely he'll be asked to step down, as well. I _need _this education if I'm to have any hope of a job. There's too much at stake to risk discovery just so we can continue our adventures."

Sirius leaned forward and placed a hand on his friend's arm. "It's more than the 'adventures', Moony. You're better when you've got your pack with you. The wolf doesn't tear you apart when he can run with us instead of being confined – alone – all night. Face it, you can't _get _an education from the hospital wing and you used to spend a good deal more time here than you do now. You're able to get back to class much quicker _and _you're well enough to work on your assignments the day after the full moon. You'll lose all that you've gained if you make us stay away."

"Listen, Remus, we'll figure it out, yeah?" James chimed in. "Maybe what we'll do is slip down and hide in the shack _before _you get down there. We can take our books and work on assignments there, if it makes you feel better. We'll store our stuff in the cabinet where you put your robes and wand. We'll have a lot more flexibility on time that way so if we see Snape – or anyone else – lurking about, we can safely delay and still not risk being there for you right after you transform."

"We've more to figure out than _that_, James," Remus said quietly. "If Snape _has _become suspicious of us – of _me_ – then we need to find out _why_, and _quickly_."

"We will, Moony," Sirius' face was determined as he reassured his friend.

"All right, you three," Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office and approached Remus' bed. "It's high time you went along to your dormitory. Mr. Lupin needs his rest, after all."

"Madam Pomfrey, couldn't I go back to the dormitory if I promised to go straight to bed?" Remus' injuries had been very minor indeed and he was currently experiencing only the fatigue and body aches that accompanied his physical transformations.

"Mr. Lupin, I don't think that …"

"Madam Pomfrey, we promise to look after him." James spoke earnestly, looking at Sirius and Peter and silently enjoining their agreement. Both boys nodded.

"We'll make sure he stays in bed," Sirius said.

"And we'll bring him dinner, as well." It was Peter's turn to speak up.

The Healer looked from one anxious face to the next and finally settled on Remus. "Well, Mr. Lupin, it would appear that you have three very persuasive friends. As long as you do exactly as you've collectively promised, I'll release you. You boys can wait outside whilst he dresses."

Thereby dismissed – and silently congratulating each other – the non-bedridden Marauders made their way into the corridor to wait for their friend. The door had barely closed behind them when they could be silent no longer and celebratory laughter split the air. Remus smiled at Madam Pomfrey who could not hide her own smile at their antics.

"You have made good friends, Remus," she said, patting his arm and turning to give him privacy in which to dress himself.

"You have no idea, Madam Pomfrey," the young werewolf murmured as her office door closed behind her. "You have no idea _at all_."

XXXXXXXX

The next afternoon found Remus in the library, working on his Charms essay due the following Monday. It was the last of the assignments he needed to make up for missing classes on Friday. Remus was so engrossed in his work that he never noticed that he was no longer alone.

"So _this _is where you're hiding on a Saturday afternoon, is it?" Kate finally managed to capture his attention.

"Well, not really 'hiding' successfully, am I?" he smiled, gesturing her into the chair opposite his own. "You _did _manage to find me."

Kate settled into her seat. "So I did. You were missed yesterday," she added. "How are you feeling?"

Remus glanced down at the parchment before him and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm fine, Kate; no need to worry about me." He was startled moments later by a very firm hand on his arm. Remus looked up to see a very pale, yet very determined young witch staring him down unflinchingly.

"Remus, I know that I haven't known you as long as Sirius, James and Peter have, but since the beginning of the year, I have come to think of you as one of my dearest friends. In fact, along with Lily, you are my _best _friend. I thought you regarded me as a good friend, as well."

Remus' brows rose as he tried desperately to deflect the questions that he felt certain were going to be asked by the very astute young woman seated opposite him. "Kate, of course I consider you a good friend. I care for you very much, indeed – and not just because of your relationship with Sirius. Ever since our first "Hogsmeade date", I've been very fond of you."

Kate nodded and slid her hand down his arm until it rested on his fingers. She clasped them firmly. "But you don't trust me enough to tell me what's wrong with you." It wasn't a question.

Remus closed his eyes. _I care about you enough that I don't want to risk losing your friendship if I _did _tell you. _ He opened his eyes when he felt increased pressure from her fingers and Kate's heart fell when she saw the sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so worried about you, Remus," she whispered. "You're such a wonderful person, such a warm and caring friend. Obviously, you're very ill and I'm so very afraid that we're going to lose you. Perhaps there's something in the Muggle world that can help with whatever is wrong – and I would be so happy to do some research – now _and _over the summer to look into it. But, Remus, I can't do anything if you don't confide in me and I just can't sit by and watch this any longer without trying to do _something_." Kate's eyes were filled with tears and her voice had gotten very wobbly at the end of her speech.

Remus watched her closely for a moment longer. Then he gently removed his hand from hers and rolled up his parchment. Carefully packing his books, quills and parchment in his book bag, Remus finally looked over at Kate. "Come with me," he whispered, rising and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Kate followed without comment.

"Where are we going?" Kate asked as they walked along the corridor toward the staircase.

"The Room of Requirement. I don't want us to be disturbed," he replied. They spoke no further until they were inside the room.

Looking around, Kate noted that the room had provided a comfortable seating area with squashy couches and chairs and a roaring fire in a large stone fireplace. A large porcelain pot of hot chocolate was situated on a low table in front of one of the couches, its delicious aroma filling the room and somehow bringing a sense of calm to her jangled nerves. She marveled once more at the truly magical essence of this remarkable room.

"Let's sit down," Remus placed his hand beneath her elbow and gently steered her toward the couch facing the fireplace. "Chocolate?"

She nodded, noting the tremble of his hands as he poured them each a steaming mug.

"Talk to me," Kate said when he had seated himself at the opposite end of the couch.

Remus placed his mug on the table and folded his hands in his lap. He didn't look at her as he began to speak.

"What I am about to tell you is known by a handful of people at Hogwarts – the faculty, as you will clearly understand – and three other students. I think you can guess who they are," while Remus still stared at his hands, Kate could see one corner of his mouth turn up slightly at that last comment. "I must also have your word that you will hold this confidence to yourself; many lives depend upon no one finding out what I am about to say. You _must _promise me, Kate." Finally, the young werewolf looked up at her and Kate was taken aback by the plea so plainly evident in his gentle eyes.

"I promise, Remus. I am your friend. I would never betray your trust; not ever!"

He smiled softly. "Oh, Kate – I hope with all my heart that I am still your friend when you hear what I have to say." The smile faded from his face as he turned his gaze to the fire, took a deep breath and began to speak.

"When I was a little boy, my parents and I lived in a small cottage in the Yorkshire Dales. I am an only child and my mother spent a great deal of her time with me – reading to me, teaching me my letters and maths, drawing pictures – all of the normal daily activities of families everywhere. My father worked for the Ministry as an Unspeakable and he worked long hours on secret projects and sometimes traveled abroad, as well. When he was home, however, we had great fun together – just the three of us – until I was five." He paused, glancing at Kate briefly, before looking away again.

"Go on, Remus; I'm listening." Kate's voice was gentle and seemed to compel Remus to resume his story.

"Mum and I had spent the late afternoon and evening at the edge of the meadow that bordered our property. It was close to the end of summer and the farmer who owned that next property had finally finished rolling the hay he'd cut down in his field. Ah, the air was so sweet with the smell of it," he closed his eyes, remembering that evening and the hours he had spent before his world had so abruptly changed. "We decided that the evening was perfect for a picnic and Mum put together ham and pickle sandwiches, crisps and fresh cut watermelon for our dinner. We sat on a soft quilt my grandmother had made by hand – my Mum's Muggle-born, you see, she was the first witch in her family, so I grew up with a combination of Muggle and magical things. I remember lying back on the quilt and listening to the crickets and peeper frogs while my mother read to me until the light faded to a point where she could no longer see the words on the page. We picked up our little feast and returned to the house where I prepared for bed. It was only after she'd tucked me in that I realized I had left the book Mum had been reading from on a bale of hay where we'd had our picnic. Mum had given it to me to hold and reminded me not to lose it; it had been hers as a little girl and it held great meaning for her. I couldn't disappoint her by leaving the book out in the night air, so I quietly quit my bed, pulled on my little jacket and boots and headed out to our spot to retrieve it." Here, Remus stopped and Kate knew, somehow, that she should not interrupt him. As she sat silent, allowing him to gather his thoughts, Kate felt the first prickle of anxiety settle over her as she pictured Remus as a little boy striking out in the dark of night – on his own. Somehow she knew that this story had no happy ending.

"I found the book without incident; it was exactly where I had set it down to help Mum fold the old quilt. I was almost to the cottage when I heard a rustling noise in the hedges. I only had perhaps a hundred steps to the door when I heard the growl and then felt a searing pain in my shoulder. Everything happened so quickly after that, it seemed. I remember hearing my father's voice and seeing a flash of red as he sent what must have been a fairly potent curse in the direction of whatever it was that had me in its teeth. The pressure against my back was suddenly gone and I heard a thump quite close behind me. I fell to the ground, then and landed facing what had attacked me. I know now that it was a wolf – a great, hulking black and gray wolf that quickly recovered itself and ran into the woods. My father picked me up and ran into the house. I don't remember anything until I woke up in hospital with my parents sitting next to my bed. It was two days after the attack; I had been unconscious all that time. Loss of blood, the Healer told my parents. My mother was crying and my father looked as ill as I've seen him – before or since. I remember asking if they'd caught the "dog" that had bitten me; at five years old, I hadn't yet encountered anything like the reality of what actually _had _attacked me. The Healer was, thank Merlin, kinder than most at that time and, with my parents, found a way to explain to my very young self that I would never be the same boy I'd been before I was attacked. It was the first time I'd ever seen my father cry. It would not be the last."

Kate felt the tears course down her own cheeks as she realized the truth of the tale Remus had told her. "It was a werewolf."

Remus nodded, still not meeting her gaze, his own face paler than before and the trembling of his hands increasing until he could not clasp them tightly enough to calm them.

Kate rose from her seat and Remus closed his eyes. _I should be used to this by now_, he thought to himself. _At least she's not screaming…_ His eyes flew open as he felt warm hands encircle his and soft hair fall down over his roughened fingers. Kate was kneeling before him, her cheek resting on his hands as she grasped them tightly in hers. Remus felt his control slip. She wasn't leaving; she didn't seem repulsed or afraid. She was touching him as if he'd not just told her the devastating truth about the monster that lived inside him. He closed his eyes once more and allowed rare tears to escape.

The two friends sat together for some time, silent and unmoving, both lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Kate lifted her head and straightened her posture to alleviate the crimp in her neck. At the movement, Remus swallowed hard and hastily withdrew his hands. _Ah, Katie; the truth has settled in finally, has it?_ _I'll pull away so you don't have to; it's the least I can do._

"Don't you _dare_ pull away from me, Remus John Lupin," Kate spoke softly, but with determination, albeit in a voice that was now a bit rough from crying. "I won't have it from you. Look at me." She waited until he opened his eyes and she was horrified at the sad resignation she could see reflected there. "You are my friend and I love you every bit as much now as I did this morning, or yesterday afternoon, or on our first Hogsmeade 'date'. I was proud to be your friend then and I'm proud to be your friend now."

Remus took her hands gently, but his throat was too constricted to speak. Kate seemed to understand and, with a gentle squeeze, released his hands and rose to sit next to him on the couch. Once she settled, Kate reached over to hug him and after hesitating only for a moment, Remus leaned into her embrace. After a time, he sat back against the cushions, but didn't relinquish his hold on her hands. "I don't know what to say except to thank you," he said quietly.

"There's nothing to thank me for."

Remus nodded his head vigorously. "Yes, there _is_. You've no idea how much your friendship means to me. I was afraid that I would lose it after telling you the truth about my condition."

Kate leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Actually, I'm not sure how you'll take this, but the truth of your condition is a vast improvement over what I _thought_ was wrong."

Remus' eyebrows rose. "What on earth could be _worse_ than being cursed with lycanthropy?"

Kate's eyes filled once again. "I thought you were dying," she whispered, wiping at her cheeks as the tears fell.

"Oh, Katie; shhh," Remus murmured, drawing her close once again and patting her back. "No, I am certainly _not _dying." He felt her nod against his shoulder and fell silent, allowing her time to compose herself. Finally, she lifted her head and sat straighter in her seat.

"I told myself that I could handle anything you told me as long as it wasn't that," she said, giving him a rather moist smile.

Remus returned it with only a moment's hesitation. "And you're sure that you can?"

He couldn't quite allow himself to believe that their friendship would not end.

Somehow, she knew. "Absolutely. I must tell you, though; I don't know very much about the disease. Can you talk about it? May I ask you questions?"

"Of course." He paused for a moment. "You know, you and Sirius are quite alike in your reactions to this." Remus smiled.

"I'm certain he was wholeheartedly behind you when you told him," Kate returned the smile as she thought about the often impetuous, ever loyal wizard, who loved his friends fiercely.

To her surprise, Remus shook his head. "I was never brave enough to tell them. They figured it out on their own and came to _me_. I received quite the tongue lashing from the lot of them, I can tell you. They felt quite keenly that I should have trusted them enough to confess all to them in our first year."

"Why do I have no trouble believing that statement?" Kate looked at him curiously. "How did Dorcas react when you told her?"

Remus looked away from her and shook his head.

"Oh, Remus," Kate murmured. "You haven't told her, have you?"

"I can't bring myself to tell her, Kate. You must understand that secrecy is critical. I trust you implicitly, but I must tell Dumbledore that you now know. He is aware that Sirius, Peter and James guessed back in third year and he was fine with it, but my condition cannot become common knowledge. The Ministry would force the Headmaster's hand if even one parent pulled his child from Hogwarts because of me."

"But if your relationship is serious, shouldn't she know?"

Remus smiled sadly. "Kate, I can't afford a serious relationship. I probably shouldn't have allowed myself to grow as fond of Dorcas as I have. I just wanted …" his voice trailed off.

"You just wanted to be like everyone else; to have a relationship and a bit of happiness. There's nothing wrong with that, Remus; nothing at all. You deserve to have someone to love – and who loves _you_; it's only natural," Kate reasoned.

Remus held up his hand. "You will learn that there are certain aspects of my disease about which I am adamant; this is one of them. I cannot allow anyone to be exposed to the dangers of this disease. I will not put anyone at risk that the wolf could get to them, kill them – or worse. Dorcas is lovely and I enjoy her company very much. If my life were different – perhaps there could be something between us. As it stands, however, that cannot be."

"But, Remus, she cares for you very deeply. You must know that your condition would make as little difference to her as it does to any of your friends who know about it," Kate reasoned, while sensing that Remus would not relent in his position.

"You are a loyal friend, Kate and I love you for it, but we can't know how Dorcas might or might not react to the knowledge of what I truly am. And she will not have the opportunity. It is far better that she find another wizard who does not have my … situation … to contend with. She deserves a normal life, with a wizard who can support her and who presents no danger to her. I am not that wizard." Seeing Kate take a deep breath, Remus hurried on. "And I think that's where we should leave this part of our conversation, yes?"

Kate shook her head. "I want to say, 'no', you realize?" Seeing his soft smile and nod, she continued, "but I will agree with you because I don't want to make you regret telling me the truth. Perhaps we can revisit this topic another time?"

Although Remus knew he would never change his mind, he nodded. "Perhaps," he allowed. "Would you like me to reheat the chocolate? I know I could use some."

"Yes, please."

As they sipped fresh hot chocolate from their mugs, Kate asked a question that had bothered her since he had finished telling her about the night he was bitten. "Remus, did they ever catch the werewolf who attacked you?"

"No, although we know who it was. A man named Fenrir Greyback is the worst type of werewolf there is. He specializes in turning children and, once they are abandoned by their own families, taking them away with him and raising them as his own pack of sorts. He teaches them that to be a werewolf is to exert a great deal of power and fear within the wizarding community. He convinces them that to give their wolves free reign will result in more power from wizards who will agree to anything to spare their own lives. He is a dangerous, dangerous evil in our world." Remus' voice was like steel and his face reflected his loathing for the man who had changed his life.

"What was he doing in the Dales that night? Do you know? It would seem that he would be more successful prowling about in larger cities – like London. Wouldn't he encounter a greater number of potential victims that way?"

Remus' expression became closed. "He approached my father about something – I never knew what – and, when my father refused to have anything to do with Greyback or his schemes, Greyback promised to make my father regret his decision. He was successful in making good on that promise."

Kate was horrified. "He – oh, Remus – he exacted revenge on your father by turning you? Your poor father; how did he bear it?"

Remus smiled sadly. "Not well. He resigned his position at the Ministry and he and my mother began a very long and very unsuccessful quest to find a cure for this disease. He became ill and finally realized that he could not undo what had been done. By that time, they had spent all of their savings trying one promised cure after another. He teaches in a small village near our cottage and my mother gives music lessons. They are both brilliant teachers and I think my father has found some measure of contentment in his work. I know he still feels horribly guilty about what happened to me, but I also know that I cannot change that. What I don't know is whether or not things will ever be different for him."

Kate reached over and squeezed his arm. "I'm so sorry, my friend; so very, very sorry for all that you and your family have gone through – continue to go through, actually. I think you are very brave to face this each and every month – and to do it with such dignity. Your parents must be very proud of you; they certainly have every reason to be."

It was Remus' turn to lean over and kiss Kate's cheek. "That means everything to me, Katie. Thank you – for everything you've said today as well as for your friendship. I wouldn't have believed it possible that I could have met such true friends."

"People like you are very rare, Remus. You are intelligent, kind and very gentle. You are no more monster than we are; in fact, I daresay I can name a few people who truly deserve the title. I meant it when I said that I was proud to call you my friend; I'm proud to think that you'd call me yours."

Remus looked away from her and cleared his throat before speaking again. "Do you … that is to say, is there anything you want to ask me?"

Kate shook her head then stopped. "Yes, I guess there _is _one thing. Where do you …?"

"Transform?" Remus supplied and seeing her blush as she nodded, he continued. "Katie, don't ever feel embarrassed about asking me questions. I'll answer whatever I can; I know you're asking honestly and because you care and I will always answer you in kind. Agreed?" He ducked his head to meet her eyes. "Agreed?"

"Agreed. Go on, please."

"You know, of course, about the Whomping Willow. Well, when one prods the knot in the trunk of the tree, the branches freeze and reveal an opening at the base of its roots. The tunnel leads to the Shrieking Shack…"

"In Hogsmeade? That old haunted house?" Kate's eyes widened.

"Yes. The Willow was planted when I received my Hogwarts letter and my parents agreed I could come here. I've transformed in the Shrieking Shack ever since first year. The shack was never truly haunted – by a traditional spirit, anyway. The cries that the villagers hear are actually made by … well, by me. The townspeople believe they are hearing the restless ghosts who inhabit the shack; Dumbledore encourages the various legends to protect us all - me from discovery and others from putting themselves in a position to be killed – or worse." He paused, seeing Kate's eyes fill yet again. "What is it, Kate?"

"I'm just struck by how difficult your life is," she whispered.

"My life is far more wonderful than I ever thought it would be after that night in the meadow behind my parents' little cottage. I have friends; I'm getting a remarkable education. I have hope for a future. Yes, there are aspects of my life that are somewhat challenging but, all in all, I have many more advantages than others of my kind. No pity, Katie; I don't need it, after all." Remus lifted her hand to his lips and kissed them gently. "Just be my friend, alright?"

She nodded. "Count on it."

"We should head up to the Tower, you know. The others will begin to wonder where we've taken ourselves," Remus smiled. "I hear you have quite a jealous boyfriend, after all."

Kate laughed softly. "Yes, he _is _a bit of a handful, isn't he? But when he finds out I've been with _you_ – his best friend – I don't think he'll mind very much." They walked to the door and as Remus reached for the handle, Kate put her hand on his arm. "Remus, will you tell them? That I know about the wolf?"

Remus nodded. "I believe I will. It will make Sirius happy to think that I trust you enough to tell you. You will have to resign yourself to one of his lectures, though. He tends to be a bit … protective of me at times. Funny, isn't it? A human being protective of a werewolf is not something you see everyday."

"Sirius Black is not someone you run into every day, is he?" Kate smiled as Remus shook his head. "And I totally understand," she added. "I'm feeling a bit protective of you, myself."

They stepped out into the hallway and paused to watch the door disappear into the stonework of the castle wall. As they began to walk along toward the staircases, Remus spoke again. "Sirius' protectiveness borders on the paranoid sometimes; you should probably try to avoid that yourself."

"How do you mean?"

"Sirius is convinced that Severus Snape is following us around because he suspects that something is a bit off with me. I've seen no evidence of it, but Sirius, James and Peter swear it is so."

"Have they any proof?" Kate asked, her brow furrowing in concern for her friend.

Remus shook his head. "None that they can articulate – to _me_, anyway. It would be devastating for me if Snape discovered my secret, as you can readily appreciate."

"But, Remus, how would he find out? Surely the professors don't allow the students to wander around near the Whomping Willow on the nights you transform. No, the only way he'd ever find out is if someone told him and you know that none of us would ever do that."

Remus nodded. "Of course I do, Kate; I trust you all with my life. I do think, however, that we need to be overly cautious where Severus is concerned. Make sure we don't refer to anything connected with my condition if he – or any of his friends – is in earshot."

"Of course, Remus," she agreed as they reached the top of the staircase.

"Moony!" the two followed the voice and saw Sirius stepping onto the landing below them. "We've been looking everywhere for you – and here you are, squiring _my _girlfriend about the castle. Come along then, you'll miss dinner if you don't hurry."

Kate and Remus smiled down at their friend and started down the staircase to meet up with him. Suddenly, Kate stopped and Remus turned, looking at her curiously. "Is something wrong, Kate?"

She smiled in response. "I'm afraid I'm not very bright sometimes; the penny just dropped."

"What do you mean?"

"_Moony._"

Remus smiled broadly. "Sirius gave me that one. Came up with it after he announced that 'Fang' was too cruel."

Kate shook her head. "Only Sirius."

Remus' smile softened. "Indeed. Only Sirius." He glanced down the staircase where the topic of their conversation had just recently stood. "We'd better look sharp or 'only Sirius' will have quite a bit to say over dinner. I don't know about you, but I'd rather avoid it."

"You make a good point. Let's go. Oh – and Remus?" Kate waited until he turned toward her. "Thank you for trusting me with your secret; it is safe with me – always."

Remus reached over and recaptured her hand. "I never doubted it."


	35. Suspicion Abounds

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 35 – Suspicion Abounds

Ofelia opened her eyes and stretched languidly. Burrowing more deeply beneath her covers, she paused and listened, straining to hear any sign that the other occupants of the dormitory were awake. She was pleased that the room was still. Ofelia glanced through the small separation in her bed curtains and saw sun shining through the window, its light still weak in the early April morning. Ofelia glanced downward and brought her hand to rest on her rounded stomach. Her pregnancy was obvious now and, as planned, she cast the concealment charm upon waking in the morning and ended it only when she was safely behind her bed curtains at night. In that sanctuary, in the early hours of dawn, Ofelia spent time thinking about the life growing within her. Her hand slid beneath her nightgown and smoothed over the taut skin beneath which her child rested. It was a morning like this one when she felt for the first time the faint stirrings of the baby's movements and Ofelia relished that memory – and those she had filed away since. After reuniting with Michael, Ofelia had kept a schedule of monthly appointments with the Healer they had first visited together. Scheduling her appointments to coincide with Hogsmeade weekends, Ofelia was accompanied by Lily or, more frequently, Sirius. Once in London, Michael would be waiting and together the couple would walk to her appointment. The pregnancy was progressing normally, both mother and child were healthy and Michael was more devoted than ever. All in all, Ofelia felt that her life was finally on the right track; her only fear now what it had always been – that her condition would be discovered before she was ready to reveal it. With each day that passed without incident, however, Ofelia began to relax, embracing the philosophy that to do otherwise risked creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Ofelia?"

The young witch started and her face turned toward the separation in her bed curtains. There, staring at her unblinkingly was a very dark eye. "Are you awake?" The voice that filtered through was low pitched and carried a distinct Russian accent. _Isolde. Damn. _

Ofelia took a deep breath and slowly brought her knees up to tent the bedcovers over her stomach. "_Isolde_," she whispered, returning the other witch's gaze. "Is there an emergency in our room?"

The dark eye blinked once. "There is no emergency. Why would you think this?"

"It is the only possible reason that anyone would invade another person's privacy by simply standing silent and peering through bed curtains." Ofelia focused on keeping her voice steady.

"I thought that we could go down to breakfast and then study together in the library afterward. I didn't mean to invade your privacy." Isolde's dark eye blinked twice in rapid succession.

Ofelia sighed. Isolde Dolohov was a very odd girl, one whose thought processes and behavior generally followed a path as unique as the witch, herself. A Pureblood, Isolde was the youngest daughter of a very prominent Russian family who had relocated to Britain several years before. Her parents were considerably older than those of her peers and had thought their childbearing years well behind them when Martina Dolohov discovered that she was pregnant. Antonin Dolohov, Sr and his wife were less than pleasantly surprised with this turn of events; their family was grown: Dmitri and Gregor were married to Pureblooded witches and had remained in Russia to manage the family's business interests there. Antonin, Jr. had accompanied his parents and sister to London where the family established a branch of their jewelry business in Diagon Alley. It didn't take long for word of their relocation to circulate amongst the Purebloods – exactly as Dolohov had intended. Soon, their exquisite designs, wrought in gold, platinum and silver and set with incomparable gemstones, adorned a very exclusive clientele, indeed. Their wealth and success had given them a desired portal into British Pureblood society, giving them an opportunity to explore marriage opportunities for their only daughter – amongst those who, like themselves, still followed the old traditions and embraced the Darker side of the magical arts. Isolde had turned out to be rather a disappointment from the start. While physically beautiful, the young girl moved through life with a rather distracted, unfocused air. Although her appearance masked a keen intelligence, most of her House dismissed her based on what they could see, thereby missing all the attributes that had led to a very accurate Sorting. There were two members of her House who had not jumped to conclusions, however and both were very well aware that looks, in Isolde's case, were extremely deceiving.

Upon her arrival at Hogwarts and subsequent sorting into Slytherin, Ofelia found herself the object of a great deal of interested attention from the other girl. Isolde had few friends and while abject popularity was never her goal, the young witch did want some companionship. Ofelia seemed to barely tolerate those who buzzed around her – the Black sisters, Lucius Malfoy and their crowd. Isolde judged that the newcomer was like her and decided that she had found her new friend. For Ofelia's part, the young woman initially amused her but she sometimes found herself exasperated by Isolde's dogged attempts to befriend her. Eventually, however, they had settled into a routine of periodic meals and study sessions that seemed to satisfy the Russian witch's definition of "friendship". The other Slytherin who had befriended Isolde was Severus Snape. Knowing him as she did, Ofelia knew that Isolde considered him as much an outsider as she was, herself.

"I'm sorry, Isolde," Ofelia finally replied. "You startled me; I am quite unused to having anyone peering into my bed. Breakfast and a study session sound fine. If you would wait in the Common Room, I'll shower, dress and meet you there shortly."

Isolde smiled and disappeared from view. Ofelia shook her head and reached beneath her pillow for her wand. She cast the concealment charm, watching as her stomach appeared to revert to its normal shape. Ofelia glanced over to the split in her curtains and thought of Isolde. _How much had she seen, if anything? _Ofelia closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the scene from moments ago. She couldn't recall Isolde's glance wandering, but she hadn't been aware of her presence for – how long? – before the girl spoke. The young witch sighed. _She'll say something eventually if, indeed, she saw anything she found strange. I can only hope we're alone when she decides to drop _that_ comment into the conversation. _With that unsettling thought, Ofelia pushed open her curtains and rose.

XXXXXXXX

"Kate knows about Moony," Remus said quietly as he poured maple syrup over his pancakes.

A brief spate of choking followed as James was reminded that gasping for air with a mouth full of scrambled eggs was not the best of ideas.

Sirius pounded his mate on the back for a moment, his expression stunned, his eyes never leaving Remus' face. "H-how did she…? Remus, who would have told her? You can't think that – that _we _would have said a _word_…."

"Padfoot, get _off _before you sever my _spine_!" James favored Sirius with an indignant look then turned to Remus. "The daft git's right, though; we'd _never _say anything …"

Remus put his hand up, effectively silencing the two of them. "I told her."

"_You_ told her?" Peter finally came out of his state of suspended animation and croaked out the question.

Remus nodded. "She'd figured out that something was wrong with me and the poor girl thought I was dying of some Muggle disease. She was so upset that I knew I had to do better than the lame excuses I'd _been_ giving her." He paused, looking around at his friends, his glance coming to rest on Sirius. "I seem to recall three _other _friends who expressed similar sentiments."

Sirius shook his head, brow furrowed. "But she hasn't said a word to me about it. When did you tell her?"

"Just after the last full moon," Remus looked at him carefully. "She promised, as you all did, that she would never reveal my secret to anyone. I did tell her that you all knew, but she does _not _know about our … _pack_. I would never divulge that to _anyone_, even Kate. The ramifications would be too severe – for all of us."

The other three nodded. "Kate was ok with it all, of course," Sirius commented.

Remus smiled for the first time since giving them the news, his face tinged with a bit of color at the memory of the conversation. "Yes. Made me quite ashamed of myself for doubting her."

"You can't be blamed, mate," James put in. "You haven't exactly had an easy time of it, have you? Blimey; even _we _were less than our typical charming selves when we first figured it out. Went after you pretty sharp as I recall – and we were on _your _side at the time!"

"Well, _you_ trusted _me_ and so couldn't figure out why _I_ wouldn't trust _you_. I've just lost so many 'friends' since I was a child; it's quite natural to reckon that it will happen with everyone. Her friendship would be particularly hard to lose," Remus said quietly then looked up at the other three. "As yours would have been."

The Gryffindors were silent for a time and then Sirius piped up. "Right, then. I think I'll just go find Katie and see what she's up to for the day."

Remus smiled. "Pads, don't lecture her."

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise. "Me? Why would you think that I'd lecture Kate?"

"Oh, no reason. Just that you're extremely overprotective of me _and_ my condition and somehow see it as your personal responsibility to make sure that everyone who knows about the wolf behaves themselves."

"Not _everyone_," Sirius protested. "I haven't lectured Dumbledore or Minnie – yet."

"No, but you get pretty shirty with the two of _us_," Peter offered. "Even as Padfoot, you get right bossy."

"Yeah, and there are times that you sort of take over with Moony," James added. "Wormtail and Prongs generally just follow along after you. Press the knot in the tree, help herd Moony back down the tunnel. Bit annoying sometimes, actually."

Remus watched as Sirius just stared at his friends and then began to puff up with indignation. "Why, I do _not _…"

"It's ok, Pads," Remus chuckled. "You probably _do_ behave exactly as they say. It would be second nature to you as Padfoot; your Animagus form is canine and so, after a fashion, is the wolf. It's quite natural, however, I _do_ think that all of the protectiveness you display whilst in your human form comes out as well. And it plays a big part in keeping everyone safe. You can distract the wolf more easily than a stag and a rat can do. Moony understands your form better than theirs, I think."

"Well, _still_," Sirius wasn't quite ready to let go of the insult and he folded his arms across his chest and glared at the other two. As he did so, Snape walked into his line of vision, making his way from the entrance to his customary seat at the Slytherin table. Sirius' glare did not lessen. He rose. "I'm off to find Katie. I'll catch up with you later."

Sirius walked toward the door, hands shoved into the pockets of his robes, and nearly ran into Ofelia and another witch from their year as they entered the Hall. He reached out and caught Ofelia by the shoulders to steady her. "Ok, there?" At her nod, he released her and smiled. "Sorry about that. I was a bit … preoccupied; I didn't see you."

Ofelia shook her head, assuming a very stern, affronted expression; Sirius, however, could see the twinkle in her eye. "Not very fleet of foot for a 'marauder', are you?" she muttered so only he could hear.

"Hey, I wasn't the one plowing through the door like a starving Hippogriff," he returned, raising his eyebrows and briefly glancing down toward her apparent flat belly before catching her eye again and winking.

"Hippogriffs are really quite graceful," Isolde offered, looking curiously between the two.

Sirius looked at the other witch for a moment. "My mistake, then – about the Hippogriff reference." He turned a bemused gaze back at Ofelia. "You really weren't graceful at all, you know. You might want to work on that. The next wizard might not be such a gentleman."

Ofelia had all she could do not to snort and laugh out loud. It wouldn't do to have everyone in the Great Hall think the two were on friendly terms. _Damn him_ _and his ability to keep a straight face_, she thought as she bit the inside of her own cheek in an effort to retain her haughty expression. When she was sure she could manage it, she grasped Isolde's elbow to continue to their seats and as she turned, she replied, "The _current_ wizard isn't much of a gentleman, either!"

Highly amused, Sirius maintained his bland expression as he watched the two witches to their table. His amusement disappeared when he observed Snape rising to greet them, solicitous of Ofelia, as always. However, as Sirius watched, the Slytherin's visage changed in an instant. Face white and eyes glittering, Snape's attention shifted from Ofelia to Sirius and, in that moment, his expression was one of pure, unadulterated hatred. Sirius was momentarily taken aback but finally tore his gaze from the Slytherin's, turned on his heel and left the Hall.

XXXXXXXX

"Severus, _enough_. Do not even pretend that you have no idea to what I'm referring," Ofelia hissed, also caught off guard by Snape's malevolent appearance. "We have had this discussion before and I am quite unwilling to have it yet again."

Isolde poured pumpkin juice into Ofelia's goblet, then Snape's and, finally, her own. "You cannot blame Severus completely, Ofelia. Black was quite rude; really, comparing you to a Hippogriff, of all things."

"A _Hippogriff_?" Severus' face filled with bright color as his anger soared.

Ofelia rolled her eyes. "Severus, it was _nothing_. I took no offense." She waved her hand in dismissal. "It is _Black_, after all. Despite all best efforts, he clearly has never learned how to behave in polite society. I'm surprised he even apologized for nearly running me over. You must let it go."

"Too many people have simply let Black's boorish behavior _go_, Ofelia. The boy knows no boundaries as a result."

"Severus, I will _not _serve as a convenient excuse for you to vent your anger against Sirius Black. I thought I had made myself quite plain in the past. You and I are friends; we will not continue to be so if you cannot stop _your_ boorish behavior where he is concerned." Ofelia was truly tired of this unending battle between two wizards who would _never _see eye to eye on anything.

Severus' anger abated somewhat under the chill of Ofelia's tone. It was not to last.

"Ofelia, Severus _does _have a point. Really, for Black to call attention to your appetite, given everything, was quite dishonorable. After all, at this point, some weight gain is unavoidable …" completely unaware of the stunned silence that greeted her remarks, the Russian witch reached for the toast rack.

Ofelia felt as if someone had just cast a _Disillusionment_ charm on her person as the same icy chill cascaded slowly from the top of her head to the very tips of her toes. _Isolde's moments of clarity are certainly unfortunately timed. _ She drew a deep breath and raised her eyes to Severus' face. Ofelia immediately regretted doing so. His look of complete confusion was slowly morphing as his analytical mind whirled with the possibilities Isolde's comments had presented. His eyes narrowed as he processed his thoughts and Ofelia realized that she had a very narrow window of opportunity to throw this very intelligent young man off the scent. _Let's keep as close to the truth as possible._

"I only wish that I had asked about the side effects of that particular potion before I accepted it from my Healer," she bluffed, assuming an expression of dismay while, unseen, her fingers were picking holes from the loose threads in the napkin situated in her lap. "At the very least, I should have approached you, Severus, for an analysis of the ingredients."

Hearing his name, Severus blinked rapidly, pulling himself from his thoughts. "I'm sorry? Ingredients?"

Ofelia nodded. "I have been having some problems with … well, it's really rather embarrassing to discuss … I have been feeling rather … uncomfortable each month and so went to see my Healer during our last Hogsmeade visit. She prescribed a potion for me to take over a period of three weeks but neglected to tell me that one of the side effects was a marked increase in appetite which could cause rapid, if temporary, weight gain."

Severus' face flushed anew as he realized the 'discomfort' that Ofelia was referring to. Although his expression remained slightly suspicious, he inclined his head. "Does the potion contain Hellebore?"

Ofelia nodded. _Anything; I'll take anything that will deflect his interest._ "I believe that it did."

Severus nodded again, reaching for his goblet of pumpkin juice, his face relaxing a bit. "Hellebore can have unpredictable interactions with certain ingredients – especially those used for pain relief." His glance lingered on Ofelia's waist. "It would appear that this particular side effect is no longer an issue."

Ofelia struggled not to bring her hand to her disguised belly. Although visually her stomach appeared to be flat, her hand would rest on the actual curve of her stomach if she did so. She continued her assault on her napkin and nodded mutely.

"In future, if you are concerned about a potion, you _must_ ask your Healer before you begin to take it," Severus' voice had grown a bit cooler. "Ingredients, their interactions with each other as well as consuming them when certain physical conditions are present could lead to disastrous results."

Ofelia took note of the change in Severus' demeanor. She leaned forward and covered his free hand with hers. "I've upset you in some way. Please forgive me."

Severus' aloof expression slipped a bit at the touch. He looked down at their hands then captured her gaze once again. "Not at all. I am merely concerned about your health. Are you quite well now?"

"I am, thank you. I don't want there to be tension between us, Severus; you've been a good friend to me and I value that friendship very much." Ofelia was sincere in her comment and Severus responded to that sincerity in kind as he turned his hand to clasp her fingers.

"As I do, Ofelia."

Isolde listened intently to the exchange between her two friends and Ofelia hoped with her whole heart that the young woman had nothing further to offer. Her hopes were rewarded when she remained silent.

Ofelia helped herself to a glass of milk and a bowl of porridge and attacked her breakfast with a renewed appetite, feeling that she had, indeed, managed to diffuse a potentially devastating situation. Her attention on her breakfast, she failed to note the thoughtful look Severus had settled on the young witch at her side.

XXXXXXXX

"It almost smells like Spring, doesn't it?" Kate took a deep breath and squeezed Sirius' hand as they walked along the shore of the Black Lake.

Sirius mimicked her action then looked at her with a lopsided grin on his face. "Smells like the Giant Squid to me, Katie."

Kate stepped to the side, bumping him in response. "Git."

He returned the favor. "Prat."

They walked in companionable silence for a bit then Sirius spoke again. "I had an interesting conversation with Remus at breakfast this morning." He cast a sidelong glance in her direction.

"That comes as no surprise to me; I _frequently_ have interesting conversations with Remus," Kate smiled. _You're going to have to spill this one on your own, Sirius._

"Hmmm." They had come to the large, flat rock where the Marauders had first shown Remus their Animagus forms. _Appropriate place for _this _conversation. _"Let's sit for a bit."

"He told you about Moony." Sirius looked out over the lake as they settled themselves on the sun-warmed stone.

Kate smiled. "Yes. He also suggested that you would most likely take me aside to have a chat with me about things. I suppose this is my little talk, eh?"

Sirius turned to face her, his expression sober. "Remus' secret has to be protected, Katie. No one can ever know about the wolf. It's not just a matter of him being expelled from Hogwarts; the Ministry could come in and pull Dumbledore out of the school and put someone else in as Headmaster."

"Sirius, please. Do you think I don't realize how important it is to protect him? Do you honestly think that I would betray Remus' secret?" Kate fought to control her irritation; she knew from Remus that Sirius was the most protective of all the Marauders and it was that sense of over-protection that drove him.

"Katie, it's not that. With every person who finds out about Moony, the risk of discovery grows." Sirius ran his hand through his long hair. "Snape already thinks something is going on with Remus and he's trying to catch him out. All it's going to take is Snape catching one of us acting strangely or being seen out after curfew and he could find out about the wolf. And that would be the end of Remus' education."

Kate put her hand on Sirius' arm. "Listen, Sirius, I know how much you care about Remus, but give him some credit. He isn't going to risk discovery by telling people who aren't trustworthy, right?" She didn't wait for him to answer before continuing, "He's managed to keep the secret for the five years he's been here; he must be doing something right, yes?" Kate leaned against the silent wizard next to her. "Sirius?"

He reached for her Kate's hand and held it tightly. "I just wish I knew what Snape was up to," Sirius said bitterly. "If we knew, we could prepare; we could protect Remus. We could …"

Kate sighed. "Sirius, listen to yourself. Remus isn't some weedy little boy who can't take care of himself. He's sixteen, almost seventeen years old. He's been dealing with this curse for twelve years, Sirius. The wolf has been part of him for a very long time and I'm sure that by now Remus can sense when others are becoming suspicious about him or when _they _can sense something … _different_ when they're around him. Snape has been part of his world for five years, too. Don't you think that if Snape was going to catch on to Remus' secret, he'd have done so by now?"

Sirius shook his had adamantly. "When Remus first came to Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey used to walk him across the grounds. No one would think twice about seeing a student with a member of the school staff – even if they were out after curfew. That stopped this year. Remus began making the trek on his own."

"To the Willow and then through the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack," Kate supplied.

Sirius looked around them. "Shhh. So, Remus told you that, too, did he?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "I asked him where he transformed and he told me. Honestly, Sirius, once he'd told me about the wolf, don't you think it would stand to reason that everything else would follow? Remus told me that I could ask him anything and that he would answer me directly. I asked. He answered. It's quite ingenious, really – the whole set up; Dumbledore is a remarkable wizard."

"Now that Pomfrey isn't escorting Remus, he looks like a lone student who has found an _ingenious_ way to slip out of the castle when he shouldn't be," Sirius observed. "And, somehow, Snape has seen us."

Kate looked at him curiously. "That's the second time you've alluded to Severus seeing _all_ of you out after curfew. What do you mean?"

Sirius' pulse quickened as he realized his error. His mind worked rapidly to come up with a plausible explanation. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kate with Padfoot; it just wasn't his secret alone to tell. Finally, he settled on something he hoped was close enough to the truth to salve his conscience while still satisfying Kate. "Look, you know about James' cloak." She nodded. "When we first found out about Remus' wolf, we hated that he went through the full moons alone every month. I _know_," Sirius saw Kate's eyes widen in shock and he knew what she was thinking. "And we weren't stupid enough to think that we could stay with him. We _did_, however, walk down to the Willow so he didn't have to make that trip by himself. We'd wait until the moon rose – like we told him we'd do – and then we'd head back up to the castle. Come morning, we'd meet him – under cover of the Invisibility cloak – and walk back up to the hospital wing."

"But what about his injuries? I've done some research and I know that werewolves deprived of prey will turn on themselves. How do you deal with moving him?"

Sirius dropped his free hand to his side and crossed his fingers. "We know enough general healing charms to disinfect his wounds and stop the bleeding until we can get back to the castle. But, in the past year, it's almost like the wolf has settled into the shack enough so it doesn't turn on Remus quite as badly as it did before. Pomfrey thinks Remus knows the spells and is healing the worst of things before he gets to her."

Kate looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments. "It's dangerous for you all to be out after hours. The Forbidden Forest is full of all manner of creatures; suppose one of them is like Remus. The three of you are out – at full moon – during the time they transform. You have to stop and think of what it would do to Remus if one – or more - of you were set upon by another werewolf. He would carry that guilt with him for the rest of his life." Her conversation with Remus was still new and Kate remembered the raw emotion in his eyes and voice as he spoke of the measures that had been taken to protect others from the wolf.

Sirius snorted. "You sound like an old woman, Kate. There has never been a werewolf attack at Hogwarts. If there had been, do you think Dumbledore would have been able to convince the Minister – and the staff – that everyone would be fine with Remus here?"

Kate stared out over the Lake silently. "I just think that Remus has gone through enough in his lifetime without being exposed to any additional risk," she said after a time. "And while I think that you spend way too much time looking for the worst in Severus Snape, isn't it foolish – and risky – to continue accompanying Remus each month if you truly do believe that Snape is lurking about?"

"I'll never understand what there is about that slimy git that makes perfectly normal witches take up for him. And it's not just _me_. James said that Evans defends Snape and gets really shirty whenever he says anything negative about him. And _Ofelia_ says he's a friend of hers and now _you_ … I'm hanged if I can figure it out!"

"Don't try to change the subject. This is _not _about taking sides in the great Snape debate; this is about _Remus_ and what's best for _him_."

Sirius held up his hand. "We _know _what's best for him, Kate. We've been dealing with his condition for much longer than you have. Nothing _has_ happened and nothing _will_ happen to jeopardize Remus' safety. Once we figure out what Snape's got up his sleeve, we can make sure of it."

Kate rose. "Sirius, you know that I love you, but I cannot sit here and listen to this any longer. Severus and I are never going to be best friends, but we _do _get along – or we _did_; I'm not really sure whether or not that still holds. Nevertheless, Lily told me that he's had great hardship in his life, which is probably why he's so difficult to get along with. More torture at the hands of the Marauders isn't going to make him any better and I don't want any part of anything you lot are cooking up. Got it?" Sirius rose and started to speak and Kate put her hand on his chest. "Not interested in anything other than a 'yes' or 'no' answer. Got it?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. _Got it_." But his face clearly reflected his irritation.

"Have you said everything to me that you wanted to say about protecting Remus now that I know about his condition?"

"Well, since you won't listen to me about Snape, I'll have to say yes."

"Good. Let's go back up to the castle. I've got some studying to do and I daresay that you could stand to open a book yourself. O.W.L.S. are a little less than 2 months away, you know." She turned and began walking up the slope, smiling when she felt Sirius catch her hand and entwine their fingers.

"Ok, Katie. I'll give. Even though it's a lovely Saturday afternoon, I'll come with you to the library. I think that some quiet time tonight in front of the Common Room fire will be a nice way to reward my studious efforts, however." Sirius began to swing their joined hands back and forth between them as they walked.

"We'll see just how studious you are this afternoon," came the reply. "I'll let you know at dinner."

XXXXXXXX

In a dark corner of a seldom-visited section of Hogwarts' library, Severus Snape stood in front of an ancient stained glass window. Breath ragged, his attention was seemingly caught up in the sloping lawns of the school grounds, leading down towards the very edge of Hogwarts' property. In the fading afternoon sunlight, the dark, skeletal limbs of the huge tree stood out plainly against the faint bluish-pink of the sky. As he watched, a hawk flew on the fringes of the airspace surrounding the branches; the tree immediately sprang to life, viciously striking out to ward the intruder away. The graceful bird just managed to escape certain death and flew off toward Hogsmeade. The tree grew still once again. Severus turned from the window and slowly sank into an old wooden chair positioned at the lone table. It had taken surprisingly little conversation before Isolde Dolohov had shared the story of awakening Ofelia for breakfast. A suggestion here; the mention of Ofelia's apparent delicate health there and the malleable Russian witch was only too willing to give tongue to what she had seen. Like him, Isolde was an outsider – thought far too peculiar to be wholly included by the most popular of their House. Always on the fringes, the two Slytherins had learned to use that position to their best advantage and, as a result, had honed their powers of observation until little escaped their notice. In Severus' case, that which he observed was seldom interpreted in any positive light; rather, he focused on the activities of others with an eye toward how he might gain the greatest benefit from the knowledge. And once he had arrived at a conclusion, Severus was determined to take action – and consequences be damned. That he had cared about Ofelia and had considered her his friend was no obstacle. She had consorted with one of his sworn enemies, had lied to him and, as such, if the net of accountability were thrown over her as well, so be it. The Marauders, self-styled princes of Hogwarts, were about to be brought to their knees. How long his hatred of them had led him to hope for just this circumstance! Expulsion would be satisfying and, once he gained proof of their monthly exploits, he could only hope that the Headmaster allowed him to remain whilst justice was meted out. Perhaps Ofelia could be excused as yet another hapless victim to their boundless arrogance; a small portion of Severus' heart hoped so. His ego, however, smarted from her involvement with the Gryffindor wizards and therefore harbored a hope that she, too, would be made to answer for her own transgressions.

While startling, Isolde's revelations provided a key piece to a puzzle that had plagued him for some time. For the past five months – with the exception of the holiday break – Severus had watched Lupin leave the castle and walk down the back slope of the castle grounds, toward the Whomping Willow. For the past three months, he had observed Lupin's three lackeys disappear beneath a rare Invisibility cloak and sprint off in his wake. Fear of being caught out himself had precluded Severus from holding a vigil until their return. Last month, he had been certain that he had come within bare inches of them as he'd watched from his hiding place in an alcove in the main corridor. Slughorn had chosen that time for a stroll through the hallways and Severus was forced back to his own Common Room. Where the four Gryffindor went and what they did were mysteries to him – but they were mysteries he was determined to solve. Armed with Isolde's information, Severus put the last of the puzzle together and all that remained was to somehow find a way to collect the evidence he needed to remove the irritants from his life forever.

Smiling grimly, Severus rose and silently made his way to the library exit. _Your sordid activities are about to come to a very abrupt and irreversible end. _He couldn't remember a time when he felt more exuberant.


	36. Betrayal

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 36 – Betrayal

Care of Magical Creatures was a classroom taught course of study through mid-term of students' 5th year of study at Hogwarts. Students completed that portion of the syllabus with a traditional written examination and the focus then shifted to the practical. Remus was given special dispensation and did not participate in the practical sessions, for obvious reasons. Having limited success with magical creatures, the young werewolf was glad to devote the free time to his other classes. With the transition, Professor Kettleburn, a slightly harried, bespectacled teacher tended to spend almost as much time in the hospital wing as he did in the paddock area of the grounds. That the practical class was comprised of both Gryffindor and Slytherin 5th years also accounted for his Saturday afternoon visits to Rosmerta's pub. Skele-Gro might mend bones broken by the over-enthusiastic attentions of Nifflers; Firewhiskey, however, could always be counted upon to calm the overwrought nerves of professors who suffered from adversarial student factions. After the first two classes, the latter during which James and Sirius set two Nifflers on Lucius Malfoy, Professor Kettleburn decided to reduce his weekly practicals by half; the class met on Tuesdays and took a study hall inside the castle in place of the discontinued Thursday afternoon session.

On the first Tuesday practical after the Niffler incident, James, Sirius and Peter trailed after Snape and Malfoy as the class made their way down to the paddock. The three Marauders were highly amused to note that Malfoy had securely fastened his now shorter white-blonde hair in a tail that was then tucked inside his robes. Having lost several inches of hair to the furry little creatures, the aristocratic wizard had obviously decided to take the necessary precautions to avoid further damage.

Finally reaching the paddock area, the combined 5th year class lined the railing apprehensively when they saw the subject of the day's lesson. Professor Kettleburn stood inside the fencing, a decided twitch making his pointed hat quiver from its perch atop his balding head. James leaned over to Sirius and muttered, "Do you know what that thing is?" His friend never took his eyes off the beast before them as he shook his head. "But Snivellus should know everything about it; bloody thing looks like a flying snake!"

"Good afternoon, class," Professor Kettleburn called. "Today, we are going to begin our study of a most fascinating creature, indeed. Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to what this might be?" As he spoke, he gestured across the paddock where rested, as Sirius observed, what appeared to be a winged snake, bearing beautiful, jewel-colored feathers over its entire body. It had two legs situated midway along its torso and looked to be well over ten feet long. It lay in the grass, its tail curved protectively around what appeared to be a grouping of silver rocks as it kept a cautious gaze on the students.

"I believe that is an Occamy, Professor."

"See?" Sirius smirked at James. "I told you old Snivelly would know, didn't I?"

"Excellent, Mr. Snape! Take five points for Slytherin; this is, indeed, an Occamy," Professor Kettleburn exclaimed, approaching the students, but keeping a careful distance from the watchful creature. "The Occamy is native to the Far East and this particular specimen came from India. They are carnivorous, but do not pose a threat to humans – unless, of course, they are defending their young. Odara here, as you can see, is guarding a cache of eggs, which are due to hatch a few weeks from now. In our practical, we will be caring for Odara, earning her trust and, as a result, we will be able to assist in the care of her young … if all goes well."

"Professor, what does Odara eat? You said that she was carnivorous," Kate asked.

"Good question, Miss Morgan. Occamy eat small animals, such as ferrets, rats and the like, as well as birds. They have much the same diet as the Hippogriff, despite the obvious physical differences," the professor advised.

James leaned back to where Peter stood, just over his right shoulder. "Best be careful, _Wormtail_," he whispered, thrusting his chin in the direction of the Occamy. Peter scowled back at his friend, but remained silent.

"The eggshells are an odd color, aren't they?" Kate commented to Lily. Before the other girl could respond, Snape, who was standing close enough to overhear, replied.

"The eggshells of the Occamy are composed of pure silver; it is thought that the metal is soft enough to allow for some give whilst passing from the female, but firm enough to provide stronger than average protection to the young inside."

"You're quite the expert, aren't you, Snape?" Sirius sneered. "But, I reckon it's not such an accomplishment; after all, a snake with wings is still a _snake_."

Several Gryffindor students snickered and Sirius' expression as he looked at Snape was smug.

"Sirius, stop it," Kate pulled at the sleeve of his robes.

The young wizard pulled his arm away. "Leave off, Kate."

"Yes, Miss Morgan, let him say what he likes," Snape said, taking a step toward the Gryffindor crowd and moving away from Malfoy and the other members of his House.

"Let's test the _courage_ of the little Gryffindor lion cub, shall we?"

Sirius closed the distance between himself and the tall Slytherin, his right hand clenched in a fist and cocked at his side. "Let's go, _Snivellus_."

"Mr. Black! Mr. Snape! That will _do_." Kettleburn's voice rang out. "That will be five points from each of your Houses. If there is any repetition of this behavior, you will both serve detention every night this week. Is that clear?"

Neither wizard moved for a moment; the hatred was rolling off Sirius in waves. Malfoy stepped forward and put his hand on Snape's arm. "Come along, Severus. He's not worth the effort."

Snape glared at Sirius a moment longer then, eyes narrowed, he leaned toward the other wizard. Clearly, so James and Peter were certain to hear he murmured, "Besides, there is every probability that he – and his little friends – will self-destruct in the very near future." That said, he drew back and returned to the rest of the Slytherin 5th years. James hooked his arm around Sirius' and pulled backward. "Come _on_, mate; it's over." Sirius shook him off and stalked to the edge of the crowd of 5th year Gryffindors. There he remained for the rest of the practical. When the class ended, Sirius strode ahead of everyone making their way back up to the castle.

After considerable effort, James and Peter finally caught him up. "Sirius," James grabbed him by the arm and stopped him from progressing any further. "_Sirius_! What were you _on _about back there?"

"Since when did _you _become Snape's big defender, James?" Sirius' face was flushed and he was panting from the pace he had set in scaling the slope to the school.

"You know better than that, you wanker! I don't give a damn about Snape. I _do _give a damn about Remus, however. Full moon is Friday night and if you land your sorry arse in detention because you can't control your hatred of Snape, it will work a hardship on _him_. You're a smart wizard, Sirius; certainly you could have figured that out for yourself."

"Back off, James! I haven't missed a full moon yet, have I? I'm just sick and tired of Snape's sneaking around and his nasty disposition, all right? He's been hinting around lately that he's finally got the goods on us. You heard him back there; we're all about to _'self-destruct'_. I don't know how or why, but apparently, he _does_." Sirius sighed.

"You've got to rein it in, Padfoot," James said more quietly as the Slytherin students were beginning to catch up to them now. "Ignore him until after the full moon and we'll figure out something after that. We'll have four weeks before we have to worry about another moon with Remus. We can spend every minute of it in detention if we have to. Right?"

Sirius shook his head. "He's up to something, James. I've got to figure out what it is. If he doesn't pull anything before Friday night, I'll do my best to do what you've asked. I just have a very bad feeling about him."

"When haven't you had a bad feeling about Snape?" Peter asked.

"It's not the same, Peter," Sirius snapped at the boy. He took a deep breath. "Look, let's just get back up to the Common Room."

"Yes, Black. Perhaps you can find a witch or two who _haven't _yet succumbed to your dubious charms. That would make your conquest of the female population of Hogwarts complete." Snape and Malfoy didn't break stride as the former baited Sirius with his caustic comment.

"Jealous, Snape?" Sirius bit back. "Let's see: Lily didn't work out for you – James got her, didn't he? Ofelia isn't a bit interested in you, is she? She was engaged to _me _for awhile, though. Could _that _be what's got your dingy little knickers in a knot? Or is it simply the fact that you can't find a witch that will have you? Either way, that's quite an impressive track record you've got going for yourself."

Snape stopped abruptly and turned back, his face parchment-white and his black eyes glittering with hatred. "Do not _dare _boast of your relationship with Ofelia Bullstrode to me. After what you've done to that girl, I cannot believe that even _you _have the gall to bring it up. Tell me, Black: how many other witches have you treated the way you treated _her_?"

"Perhaps you'll discover the answer to that question if you continue to follow me around the way you've been doing," Sirius said, feeling James' fingers biting into his upper arm.

"Ah, the lion cub is not only a coward, but he's paranoid as well. I would sooner follow a basilisk around than trail after _you_!" With that, Snape turned on his heel and went back to where Malfoy was standing and the two continued on to the castle.

"You should! You and the basilisk are two of a kind," Sirius shouted after him.

James shook his head and began to walk up the hill once again, Peter in tow. Sirius was forced to run to catch them up.

"I thought you were going to control yourself," James said.

"I did control myself. He's still standing, isn't he?"

XXXXXXXX

Apart from general sneering and some caustic commentary, there were no significant confrontations between the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses for the remainder of that week. Sirius watched Snape like a hawk, however, often finding that his nemesis was doing the same thing with _him_.

"I just don't understand it, Kate," Remus said one evening at dinner, after Sirius could no longer tolerate Snape's scrutiny from across the room and quit the Great Hall. "We've spent our entire time at Hogwarts at odds with Snape - Sirius in particular. But it has never been this bad. I understand what Sirius means when he says that Severus has been more aggressive lately, but he's certainly giving as good as he gets."

Kate nodded. "I know, and he refuses to listen to reason. He won't say anything other than to repeat that he knows Snape's up to something. I'm beginning to think that Snape knows the effect his behavior is having on Sirius and has planned nothing; simply acting as if he is has achieved the desired result."

Remus shook his head. "Snape wouldn't think that way, Kate. No, as annoying and out of control as Sirius has been lately, his instincts are generally spot on. If he thinks Snape is planning something, he may very well be. I just wish they would _both _get it over with – whatever it is. Sirius is getting on my nerves."

Kate leaned forward, dropping her voice to a whisper and placing her hand over his gently. "But you are a bit on edge today, anyway. Perhaps you should steer clear of all of them for awhile. How about some hot chocolate in front of the fire in the Common Room?"

Remus smiled kindly. "Taking care of me, are you? You're very sweet, Katie, but there are certain physiological consequences to my condition that can't be avoided."

Kate felt her cheeks flush. "I know. I've done a bit of research since we talked. I also know, however, that chocolate calms you – as it does everyone; a warm fire might relax you a bit, and being away from the source of your irritation can't do any harm, can it?"

"I can't argue with research, can I?" He rose. "Let's go."

Once in the Common Room, the two friends settled in with hot chocolate supplied by the kitchen elves. To Kate's vast relief, other than a handful of second years, she and Remus were the only occupants. They settled in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth and the quiet. As they sat, Kate surreptitiously watched her friend, who had seemed to grow weaker and more pale as the week progressed. Dark circles were beginning to form around his eyes; Kate knew that all of these were symptoms of the wolf's proximity to the surface of Remus' human side.

"I'm really fine, you know," Remus' hoarse voice cut into her thoughts and Kate felt the heat of embarrassment at being caught staring. She saw nothing but kindness in his expression, however and relaxed under his frank gaze and even raised one eyebrow in response to his comment.

Remus put up one hand. "All right, perhaps not _fine_, exactly, but certainly used to all of this by now. I would hate to think that sharing my secret with you caused you to worry unnecessarily about me."

"Actually, I think I worry less now that I know the truth. My mind was going down incredibly dramatic roads before you told me," Kate reminded him. "Now, my level of worry is appropriate."

"Speaking of appropriate levels of worry," Remus continued. "Have you seen the other three members of our little group?"

Kate frowned. "James and Peter are serving detention from a prank they tried in Herbology this afternoon." At Remus' raised eyebrow, she continued. "One of the Slytherins put a Mandrake in the midst of a bed of Magical Bluebells. Of course, no one noticed until it bit Peter. He had his gloves on at the time, thank Merlin, but you know James and Peter wouldn't let it go. They managed to transfigure a Bird of Paradise plant into a real bird and then charmed it to fly 'round the heads of the Slytherin students, plucking out pieces of their hair and so forth. Of course, Professor Sprout caught James and Peter in the act. James' attempts to explain that they were merely retaliating for the Slytherins' first strike were ignored. Sprout caught _Gryffindor_ and so that's who received detention – for the next two evenings."

Trying not to betray his near panic at the news, Remus asked, "What are they doing for detention?"

"Weeding the gardens outside Greenhouse 4," Kate replied. "Why?"

"Just curious. Professor Sprout is known for giving _the_ most distasteful tasks to those serving her detentions," Remus answered. _They can't weed after dark; there's hope yet that they'll make it to the shack in time for moonrise tomorrow night._ "Does Sirius know?"

"He's down there now, waiting for them to finish," Kate said, smiling. "I think it's probably a better alternative than what might have happened if he'd actually been _in _the class."

Remus sighed. "Most likely true, but with or without Sirius, we have yet another confrontation between Gryffindor and Slytherin, haven't we?"

Kate reached over and patted his arm. "But one where no one was hexed and no one truly injured. I'd consider that a win, really."

XXXXXXXX

"How's the finger, Peter?" Sirius asked as the trio walked across the grounds toward the front doors of the castle.

"Fine. Professor Sprout used some sort of ointment and it healed straight away," the boy responded.

"Padfoot, tomorrow evening, we may not be excused in time to get back to the castle so you'll have to take the Cloak and make sure you're down there before Remus transforms," James said, his tone matter of fact. "We'll meet you there as soon as we're finished and we can all come back under the cloak in the morning."

Sirius nodded his head. "I'll be there shortly after Remus arrives. You should have enough time to get from the greenhouses down to the Willow before he transforms."

"Just make certain that you're not seen, Sirius," James cautioned. "After all the clashes you've had with Snape, if you're caught out, you'll have detention until the end of term."

"I'm not going to be _seen _if I have the Cloak on, am I? Don't worry about _me_, James. Just make sure that you and Peter get there on time," Sirius said, shortly.

By the time the three wizards arrived at the castle, the nearly full moon was high in the star-strewn sky. With a final anxious glance toward the heavens, Sirius pushed the door closed behind them.

XXXXXXXX

The day that would end as none could have anticipated began just as any other Friday. While Remus looked markedly worse than the previous day, he attended all of his classes, as scheduled and then retired to the dormitory to await the time that he would make the long trek to the Shrieking Shack.

Kate and Lily had pulled together a 5th year O.W.L. study group comprised of members of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw earlier in the Spring and they planned to meet in the Library after dinner.

James and Peter were, of course, serving out their final night of detention with Pomona Sprout, determined to finish as quickly as possible and meet up with Sirius at the Willow.

For his part, Sirius secluded himself in a tapestry covered alcove in the main corridor of the castle, pulling the covering aside slightly to peer into the hall. If Snape chose to secret _himself_ along this walkway – as he had done so many times before – Sirius would be certain to see him. See him _and_ discover once and for all why Snape was following them. Sirius stuffed his hand into the deep pocket of his robes and met the cool magical fabric of James' Invisibility Cloak. He glanced at his watch. Half four; Remus would be on his way down to the Willow through the exit located in the hospital wing.

Sirius leaned against the stone wall, one finger still hooked firmly in the edge of the tapestry, his eye trained on the corridor beyond. Fifteen minutes later, his diligence was rewarded when a tall, thin, dark-haired wizard strode down the hallway, looking left and right as he passed. No alcove escaped his regard, although he hesitated before the tapestry before moving on. Sirius waited a moment and then followed.

Moving stealthily along, Sirius kept the retreating figure of Snape in his sights. Through the corridors and into the entry way of the Great Hall, the two students walked until, with a final look over his shoulder, Snape pulled open the front door of the castle and walked outside. Sirius, who had ducked behind a statue to avoid being seen, peered around the marble figure just in time to see Snape's cloak disappear as the heavy wooden door closed. He moved out into the hallway and out the door. Glancing around the immediate vicinity, Sirius grew immediately concerned when Snape was nowhere to be found.

The young Gryffindor moved down the path leading away from the castle and looked around at the new terrain visible from that new vantage point. Nothing. Moonrise was a little less than an hour from now. Sirius' concern officially escalated a notch toward panic. He turned and headed to the east side of the castle – the one that led down to the Willow. In the fading sunlight, Sirius saw the branches of the tree still then moments later re-animate. Remus was in the tunnel leading to the Shack and he, Sirius, should be at the Willow waiting for James and Peter to arrive. He ran his hand through his hair and turned, walking toward the east turret. Sirius had gone perhaps a half dozen steps before he felt a claw-like grip encircle his upper arm. He whirled around to find himself staring into the triumphant black eyes of Severus Snape.

"Black! At _last_ I've caught you out!"

Sirius twisted his arm until he'd managed to free himself from Snape's grasp. "What _exactly_ do you think you've caught me out _doing_, Snivellus? It's well before curfew, after all and I know of no Hogwarts rule that says a student cannot take a walk on the grounds before dinner," he responded.

"No, but there _is _a rule about students going near the Whomping Willow," Snape's voice was deceptively soft; there was steel in each and every syllable he uttered.

"I think you've spent too much time inhaling the fumes from your cauldron, Snape," Sirius replied. "Clearly, you're confused. I'm obviously nowhere _near_ that infernal tree."

"Always thinking about yourself, aren't you, Black? I wasn't referring to _you_, in that particular comment. I just this moment observed your _mate_, Lupin, standing near the Willow. And I observed that you also happened upon that scene as well. It leads me to believe that you are planning on joining him. I can only assume that your other two friends will be along once their detention with Professor Sprout is complete. Oh, yes," Snape paused as he observed the brief pulse of fear on the other boy's face. "I have known for some time that the four of you have been out on the grounds long after curfew. I have only recently discovered what it is that you are up to."

Sirius swallowed, "Why don't you enlighten me, Snape? Exactly what is it that you _think_ you've discovered about us?"

"Well, for one thing, I know that Lupin is able to still the branches of that damnable tree after which he disappears into an opening in the roots. Clearly, he is leaving the grounds through some sort of route that probably ends in Hogsmeade. Lupin makes that trip quite frequently. You, Potter and Pettigrew follow him, hidden beneath a rather rare garment – an Invisibility Cloak, isn't it?" Sirius remained silent, hoping that the rapid beating of his heart was not visible through his robes. "Nothing to say? No matter; I am not yet finished. Where was I? Ah, yes – your nocturnal escapades. I'll admit that it took me awhile to put it all together, but a recent and very chance conversation finally filled in the missing pieces." He paused, looking closely at Sirius. "Do you _ever _stop to think about the consequences of your actions; any of you? You parade around the school, playing tricks, staging elaborate stunts – all for the purpose of gaining the misplaced admiration of the student population _and_ without regard for those you victimize."

A nasty smile darkened Sirius' features. "So you're following us around to strike a blow for all victims everywhere, are you? How _noble_ of you, _Snivellus_, but I don't see any victims for you to avenge…other than yourself, of course. Is that what this is all about, Snape? Getting even for the times we've pranked _you_?"

"I want you to suffer the consequences of your actions. _Expulsion. _And _that_ dream will be realized _tonight_."

Sirius shifted his weight from one foot to the other and glanced very briefly in the direction of the Willow. It wasn't briefly enough.

"What's wrong, Black? Afraid Lupin will start the party without you?" Snape's voice was soft as he baited the other wizard.

Sirius could have sworn that his heart stopped beating for a moment. How could he know about Remus? "I have no idea what you're on about, Snape." _Stall for time. Think!_

"Don't you? Well, let me enlighten you, Black. I know that Lupin has somehow found a way to leave the grounds without getting caught out. I suspect that there is some type of tunnel or corridor leading from that infernal tree to a spot in Hogsmeade. I further suspect that it goes to Rosmerta's pub or to the Hogs Head Inn. Led by Lupin, your little band of degenerates has found access to an off-grounds location where you can revel in your debauchery – without fear of detection." Snape leaned against the wall of the tower. "You are not yet of age, Black. This will not set well with the Headmaster."

Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You think that Remus is running some sort of regular party, off school grounds, in Hogsmeade, where there's underage drinking and – how did you phrase it – _debauchery_? Where in the seven rings of hell did you come up with such a bloody stupid idea?"

"He leaves; you follow. You're not seen back in the castle until the following morning. When you _do _finally turn up, you all look decidedly worse for wear – particularly Lupin. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? It doesn't take a Ravenclaw to figure out the cause. I wonder if Lily Evans, Kate Morgan or Dorcas Meadows know what you're about? Or…perhaps they meet you in the village? Although, given Ms. Bullstrode's situation, they've probably thought twice about their participation."

"Ofelia Bullstrode's _'situation'_?" It had been reasonably easy to indulge his amusement at how far astray Snape's hatred of the Marauders had taken him; because all that Snape assumed was actually a complete fabrication, he could prove nothing – even if he _did_ make good his veiled threat to go to Dumbledore with his assumptions. With the mention of Ofelia's name, however, Sirius' amusement vanished. "And just what is it that you _think _you know about Ofelia?"

Snape pushed himself off the wall and approached Sirius. "I _know_ that she's pregnant. I know that it's _yours_. I understand that she is using a Concealment charm in her endeavor to keep the pregnancy secret. One can only assume that her desire for secrecy has to do with your boorish behavior and the fact that your betrothal has been broken. You've also taken up again with Kate Morgan, which tells me that you've decided to deny your responsibility and allow Ofelia to deal with this on her own."

Sirius' eyes widened as he listened to Snape's theory. "And just how did you come up with something so far-fetched as this?"

"For your information, Black, Ofelia hasn't been quite as cautious as she should have been and someone in her own house has seen her – without the Concealment charm in place. It was surprisingly easy to persuade her to share that story. You cannot call something far-fetched when it has come – as fact – from someone who saw it first hand," Snape purred.

"But your theory about this _fact_ is totally bogus," Sirius said, his bravado slipping a bit.

"Which part? That she became pregnant as a result of your escapades with your friends? That you are the father? After that little episode in which Ofelia's robes were torn and _you _were conveniently present, I'm afraid the light of guilt shines directly on you. You are the most likely candidate for paternity, Black, but if you persist in denying it, then Potter, Lupin or – as difficult as it would be to believe it – Pettigrew would do. You see, it doesn't have to be one hundred percent accurate. It just has to be plausible – and with your combined reputations in this school, it certainly is. Arturo will believe it, as will his parents. Your parents will believe just about anything they are told of your actions. What _is _accurate is that you and your friends are leaving school grounds at night. It will not be difficult to convince Dumbledore of your excursions," Snape's stance was triumphant and Sirius' panic knew no bounds. "Of course, the sweetest part of all of this will be watching the four of you, with trunks packed, on the front steps of the school, awaiting the carriages that will take you to the train. Finishing my Hogwarts career without your presence will be a gift of epic proportion."

Sirius' mind whirled with images of what would happen should Snape make good his threats. To return to Grimmauld Place with no hope of the reprieve that came with a new school term was virtually intolerable – even as a thought. Ofelia's secret had been leaked; Sirius could do nothing about that. What he needed desperately to prevent, however, was the loss of Dumbledore's protection. If the unthinkable occurred and the Headmaster believed Snape, Sirius _would_ lose it and there would be no one standing between him and his parents – and the torture he had endured from them all of his life. He went blind to all but prevention. He had to give Snape proof that he was wrong.

"Why don't you ask Remus yourself if you're so keen for proof of our 'activities'," Sirius said, glancing toward the sky. Moonrise was inching closer and closer; the two enemies had been arguing on the grounds for well over thirty minutes. There was little time.

Snape's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You're wrong about what you think is happening – what you think we're doing. But you won't take my word for it, will you? Of course, to find out the _truth_, you're going to have to leave the grounds. Perhaps you aren't brave enough, _Snivellus_; perhaps sitting in your dorm dreaming up these false schemes of yours is as far as your courage will take you." Sirius saw Snape begin to tremble with righteous anger. "So, what's it to be, Snape? Will you actually grow a pair and venture under the Willow to prove me wrong? What have you got to lose? If you're wrong, you only have to worry about getting caught out of bounds; if you're right, you get to live your dream of seeing all of us expelled."

Snape's gaze shifted over Sirius' shoulder to the Willow that was still visible in the rapidly dwindling daylight. Sirius leapt at the indecision he saw flickering in the Slytherin's eyes. "You're wrong about us, Snape – dead wrong. Only you can prove it to yourself. If you've the stones, you'll find a long stick behind the last big rock before you reach the Willow. Use it to prod the knot at the base of the trunk. The branches will still and you'll be able to slide down through the opening in the roots. Once you've done so, follow the trail. You'll find the truth waiting for you at the end of it. Now, I'm going in to dinner. I don't want to be caught out of bounds, after all." With that, Sirius turned on his heel and headed back around to the front of the castle. Once safely round the corner, he turned, positioning himself against the wall, leaning forward slightly to put the very edge of the path in view. Moments later, he observed the tall, thin figure of Severus Snape striding with purpose toward the Whomping Willow. He smiled to himself. _Snape would find the truth to be far different from the conjuring of his twisted imagination. _

Moving swiftly up the staircase, Sirius made it to the Gryffindor Common Room in remarkable little time. Dinner was in full swing and few students hindered his progress. He had no sooner closed the dormitory door behind him than the thundering of footsteps on the stairs reached his ears.

The door flew open; Peter and James burst through, both breathing harshly from obvious exertion. James was the first to recover sufficiently to speak.

"Why the bloody hell weren't you at the Willow to meet us?"

"Change of plan. I knew Snape was going to try to catch us out, so I waited in the corridor and sure enough, he came charging along soon after. I trailed him onto the grounds and he intercepted me at the head of the path to the Willow," Sirius said, his voice calm and even.

"_Merlin_, Sirius! What did he say?" James sat down heavily on his bed.

"He said he's seen all of us heading toward the Willow – Remus first and us afterward. He claims that we're off-grounds for the purpose of drinking and carousing somewhere in Hogsmeade – and that Remus is the ringleader. There's more, but that's the gist of it. Snivelly's determined to take the story to Dumbledore with the goal of getting us expelled. He won't be doing it, though."

James snorted. "Of course he won't. Dumbledore knows where Remus goes every month, doesn't he? Snape won't get far with _that _claim. It would be _brilliant_ to see how Dumbledore handles him when he tries to feed him _that _load of tripe!"

Peter joined him in the chuckle. "And Dumbledore knows that we know about Remus' condition, so for us to walk him down to the Willow so he can go to the Shack is logical, as well. He'll send Snape packing!"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't think Snape's going to go to _anyone _with his stupid ideas. He'll be lucky to be able to explain how he soiled himself once he gets back to his own Common Room."

James smiled at his friend. "Padfoot, what did you do to him this time? _Vanish _his robes and leave him hanging from the West turret? No, wait – did you _Petrify _him and hide him in the dungeons? We haven't done that one since third year – he's about due!"

Sirius shook his head. "Better than either of _those_. If he's so determined to find out where Remus goes, I reckoned he deserved the truth."

James sobered instantly. "Sirius, what 'truth'?"

"I told him that if he was brave enough, he should poke the knot at the base of the Willow and follow the opening in the roots once the branches had gone still; the truth will be waiting for him there."

James' eyes grew huge as galleons when Sirius finished. His mouth opened and closed once or twice, but no sound emerged. Finally, with a glance at his watch, he swore and put out his hand to Sirius. "Fuck all! Remus is about to transform. Give me the bloody Cloak, Sirius!" When the other wizard didn't immediately move, he added, "_Now_, before I petrify _you_!"

Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak; James snatched it from his hand, turned and ran toward the door.

"What are you _on _about, Prongs?" Sirius called. "Where are you going?"

James turned, but continued to walk backward toward the door. "Come on, Wormtail; I need you to transform and prod the knot. To answer your question, you _idiot_, I'm going to try to stop Snape from going through the tunnel! Are you going to help us or not?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'm not – and you shouldn't bother going down there, either. We finally have the chance to scare that bloody wanker stupid. He'll think twice about making up lies about us after he sees why Remus really goes down there."

"Sirius, I never thought you were _this _stupid! Snape isn't going to think twice about _anything_ if he sees Remus in that tunnel. Think about it: Remus will transform in less than ten minutes. When Snape gets in that tunnel, he's not going to meet Remus – he's going to run right into Moony! _Moony_, Sirius; he'll be killed, at _best_. I don't have time to try to get it through your thick skull. Come on, Peter, we've got to _move_!"

An instant later, Sirius was alone in his dorm room, staring at the spot where his friends had just stood. _Snape had headed down to the Willow, but there was no guarantee he would go as far as I taunted him to go_, he reasoned, moving toward the window where the newly risen moon flooded the grounds. From this vantage point, he could see the Willow, branches flailing in the air. _They would be still if Snivellus had actually prod the knot and slipped down into the tunnel – wouldn't they?_ Suddenly, two small figures could be seen racing toward the tree; in a moment, there was only one figure as the other seemed to disappear before his very eyes. When the tree limbs stilled, Sirius knew for certain that James and Peter had arrived. _Fuck! What have I done? James can't transform in front of Snape or his Animagus status will be revealed. All three of them could be killed – or worse. _ Without another thought, Sirius jumped up from the window seat and bolted from the room. He took the dormitory stairs two at a time and was soon in the Common Room. Ignoring concerned cries from students, he was on the grounds in a matter of moments and was soon running full out toward the Willow. Sirius got to within a few feet of the tree when a brown rat emerged from between the roots, transformed and pressed the knot in the trunk. The branches stilled and shortly afterward, the horizontal shape of Severus Snape rose from the same opening and floated clear of the now still tree. James followed, clearly directing the path of Snape's body through the use of his wand. Peter pressed the knot again, transformed back into his Animagus form and scurried free of the Willow.

As James and Peter paused to catch their breath, Sirius had the opportunity to get a good look at his friends – and at Snape. James had a large cut over his right eye and the right lens was missing from his glasses. His left arm was held at an odd angle, as well. Peter appeared no worse for physical wear, but his expression told the story of a young man who had endured a very stressful evening. The sleeve of Snape's robes were torn and Sirius could see blood on the pale skin that had been exposed. His eye was beginning to blacken and he was unconscious.

"What happened?" Sirius demanded of James, gesturing toward Snape's arm. "Did Remus – did Moony…?"

James followed his friend's gaze and shook his head. "No, not that I believe you really care. We got there just as Remus finished transforming. Snape got to the trapdoor and pushed it open. One look at Moony was all it took for Snape to freeze. Moony jumped on the trapdoor and it closed, hitting Snape on the head. Knocked him out which caused him to land on _me. _When we finally got ourselves sorted out, hadn't come to, so I had to transform and carry him out of there, Moony snarling and scratching at the door the whole time. I tore Snape's arm with an antler – by accident. Wormtail reinforced the trapdoor, but Moony's going to have a rough night; he was still pounding at it when we got to the end of the tunnel." He paused and looked Sirius right in the eye. "And whatever happens to Remus as a result will be down to you, Sirius…all of it."

"James, I didn't tell you the whole story; Snape was going to …," Sirius had no chance to finish.

"Save it, Sirius; we've got to get Snape up to the castle. I'm going to have to bring him to Dumbledore first and I expect you'll have some explaining to do afterward."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Going to rat me out to the Headmaster, are you? Fine mate _you_ are!"

"Do _not _speak to _me_ about friendship, Sirius – not when _you've_ done what you have tonight. You've betrayed Remus, Sirius; betrayed a secret that wasn't yours to share. Remus will have to live with the consequences – whatever they might be. Whatever Dumbledore chooses to do to you won't be _enough_," James turned and continued to guide Snape along through the air as he and Peter made their way back up to Hogwarts.

Sirius stared after them for a long moment, his mind unable to accept what his ears had heard. James, who had been his friend since they had first walked off the Hogwarts Express at eleven years old, wouldn't listen to him explain his actions tonight. James was going to turn him in to Dumbledore. But as he began his own, solitary trek back up to the castle, Sirius had reason to wonder.

If he was concerned about James' actions, why then was Remus' the only face he could picture?


	37. Aftermath & Accountability:Severus Snape

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 37 – Aftermath & Accountability – Severus Snape

James and Peter – with an unconscious Severus Snape in tow – made their way back to the castle in silence. James could not bring himself to dwell on his conversation with Sirius; the very fact of what Sirius had done shook James to his core and he could not wrap his mind around any of it. Instead, he focused on the task at hand: getting Snape to Dumbledore's office.

Favoring his broken left arm, James hissed as he pulled the Invisibility Cloak over himself and Snape. "Pete," he whispered. "Go on ahead and tell Dumbledore that I'm right behind you – and that I've got Snape. Please tell him that I'll explain when we get there, but ask him to have Poppy Pomfrey come to his office as well; her services are going to be needed, I'm afraid."

With a single nod, Peter moved more quickly than James would have thought possible, gaining the massive double doors in a matter of minutes. Mindful of Snape's condition, James traveled at a more modest pace. Soon, however, he arrived at the alcove sheltering the guarded staircase to Dumbledore's office. Gingerly shedding the Invisibility Cloak, James shifted Snape's form to an upright position and stepped on the circular stairway. Immediately, the device began to ascend; Peter had obviously delivered the message as no password was needed.

"Headmaster," James greeted Dumbledore, who was waiting in the doorway to his office.

"Mr. Potter," the Headmaster inclined his head. "Please come inside. You may place Mr. Snape on the settee there." Dumbledore gestured toward a velvet-upholstered chaise in front of the fireplace. James guided Snape to hover barely an inch from the soft cushions, then lowered him to the surface.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said quietly. "Please, come and sit down. I would very much like to hear what you – and Mr. Pettigrew - have to say before I speak privately with Mr. Snape."

James nodded and approached the ornate desk, for the first time noticing that Peter was seated in one of the two guest chairs. The boy was obviously nervous, fingers pleating then smoothing the edge of his robes. James gave him what he hoped was a reassuring nod.

"Yes, Albus? Minerva said you wanted to …_my stars_, what has happened _here_?" Poppy Pomfrey came bustling through Dumbledore's open door and stopped in her tracks at the scene before her.

"Ah, Poppy, there you are," Dumbledore greeted her as if they were about to embark on nothing more serious than tea and cakes. "As you can see, Messrs Potter, Pettigrew and Snape have run into a bit of trouble. I wonder if you could please examine Mr. Snape without re-enervating him at the moment; I will do so after I've dismissed James and Peter, here."

"Of course, Headmaster," Poppy immediately withdrew her wand from the oversized pocket of her apron and began casting diagnostic spells over Snape's still form. Shaking her head, she pulled out parchment and a quill and quietly dictated notes as she worked. After several minutes, she ended the diagnostic spells and pocketed her wand. Looking up at the Headmaster, Poppy beckoned him to join her. The two spoke in whispers for several moments then Dumbledore conjured a white screen that was then situated around the settee on which Snape rested.

"Now then, gentlemen," Dumbledore rejoined the two Gryffindors, settling himself in his chair and folding his hands on top of the desk. "Let us begin. Mr. Potter, perhaps you would like to start."

James nodded, but took a moment to glance at the screen behind him. "Sir, will Snape be all right?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly at the young wizard. "I believe so. Poppy said that his arm – much like your own – needs some attention and that the bump he has on his head has caused a slight concussion. She will treat his injuries, but let him sleep until I'm ready to speak with him. Once she's finished, I've asked her to come and tend to you."

"Thank you, Professor," James' face reflected his relief. He knew how Remus would feel if the wolf injured _anyone_, in any manner – even Severus Snape. "Well, sir, first of all you should know that I've not been given the full story of what caused this whole mess. I will tell you everything I know, however."

The Headmaster inclined his head and James began to speak. "Pete and I had detention with Professor Sprout this afternoon. Our plan was to meet up with Sirius so we could all walk down to the Willow with Remus." He paused and looked Dumbledore directly in the eye. "We do this every month, Professor. We're not stupid; we know we can't stay with him while he transforms. But we walk him down there, stay outside until moonrise then head back up to the dormitory. We meet him the next morning and walk back up with him. At least he's not completely alone that way."

Dumbledore nodded, smiling softly. "You three have given Remus incredible gifts: unconditional acceptance and the warmth of your friendship. He is very lucky indeed; not many of his kind can say the same. Please – continue."

"I don't know if you'll feel that way when I've finished, Professor," James said, his expression hard. "Sirius wasn't where we'd all agreed to meet so Peter and I went to the dormitory on the chance that he'd be there. He was. He told us that Snape had seen Remus – followed by _us_ – traveling from the castle to the Willow on several occasions. Snape was convinced that Remus was some sort of ringleader in organizing secret drinking parties in Hogsmeade." James stopped speaking when Dumbledore held up his hand.

"Poppy! How is Mr. Snape?" James and Peter turned to find the Healer coming around the privacy screen.

"He'll be fine, but I would prefer to move him to the hospital wing as soon as it's practical."

"I will bring him there myself when we've finished here. Meantime, I wonder if you might not tend to Mr. Potter's injuries. He seems to have sustained some damage as well," the Headmaster watched as Poppy healed the gash over James' eye and magically repaired the broken bones in his arm.

"I don't know what you boys get up to these days," the Healer murmured as she gathered up her bag and proceeded toward the door.

"I'll be along with Mr. Snape in a little while," Dumbledore called after her. There was no reply but the quiet _click_ of the door closing. "Now," he looked back at James, "you were saying something about Mr. Lupin and … _secret drinking parties_?"

Despite the situation, James had to smile. "I know; stupid, isn't it? Remus has to be the _last _student who would get involved with something like that. Anyway, that was Snape's story – and he told Sirius he was going to use it to get all four of us expelled." James' expression turned grim once again. "I told him that since you already knew why Remus left the school grounds each month, you wouldn't believe Snape. I don't think he'd thought that one through. Sirius was so incensed at what Snape was trying to do that he told him that he'd have the truth of the situation if he went down to the Whomping Willow, stilled the branches and slipped down into the tunnel. I couldn't believe he'd done it, Professor. Peter and I ran down to the Willow but Snape was already inside the tunnel when we got there – and Remus had just finished transforming from the sounds of it. Snape was at the trap door and had just pushed it open. He got a good look at Remus before the wolf jumped on top of the trap door, hitting Snape on the top of his head. The blow knocked him out and he fell onto me. After we sorted it all out, Pete here cast some reinforcement charms on the trap door whilst I started back up the tunnel with Snape." He paused and closed his eyes, shivering slightly at the memory. "We could still hear the wolf snarling and howling as we were climbing out of the tunnel."

Dumbledore sat silently throughout James' dissertation, eyes closed and his chin resting on his steepled fingers. When James finished speaking, the blue eyes opened and came to rest on Peter. "Is there anything you'd like to add, Mr. Pettigrew?"

Peter jumped a bit at being addressed by the Headmaster then shook his head. "No, sir; James got it right."

Dumbledore nodded. "Gentlemen, you both displayed true Gryffindor courage this evening and I'm proud of you. I am going to ask that you not discuss this matter with anyone other than the parties involved – and only after I have spoken with both Mr. Snape and, of course, Mr. Black. Are we agreed?"

Both boys nodded. "Excellent!" Dumbledore rose from his chair, indicating that both Peter and James should do the same. "I'm going to speak with Mr. Snape and I wonder if you could please locate Mr. Black and ask him to come to my office. He may seat himself in the waiting area until I come for him. Thank you both."

James and Peter continued on to the door and, as James reached for the handle, Dumbledore spoke again. "Although I know this will be difficult for you, I'm going to have to ask that you boys remain in your dormitory tomorrow morning. I will ask Madame Pomfrey to fetch Remus from the Shrieking Shack come moonset. I am concerned that the wolf will have inflicted more than the usual injuries on our young friend and I'm sure he would not wish you to see him in that condition, yes?"

Again, both James and Peter nodded – the former with some reluctance, which did not escape the Headmaster. "Mr. Potter, I promise you that I will personally come and find you when Remus is brought back to the hospital wing so that you have a full report of his condition and when you might be allowed to visit him. Would that make avoiding the Willow come morning a bit easier to take?"

"Yes; thank you, Professor."

"Good, good. Off you go then."

After the door to his office had closed, Dumbledore crossed the room to the fireplace and tossed a pinch of Floo powder into the flames. Immediately, then turned to a cool green and he knelt, leaned into the blaze and called for Madam Pomfrey. When her face appeared in the fire, he advised her that he would come by the hospital wing at moonset so that they could go together to the Shrieking Shack for Remus. He gave her no detail other than he knew that Remus was having a very difficult night and would very likely need more immediate attention than in the preceding months. Poppy nodded, her face concerned, and ended the call so that she could pull together potions, bandages and other healing materials she might need.

That accomplished, Dumbledore straightened and turned to the settee on which Severus Snape still rested, wounds tended, but sound asleep.

"_Enervate_," the Headmaster intoned, waving his hand over the sleeping student.

Snape's eyes opened and a look of pure fear crossed the boy's face. He looked around frantically until his eyes alighted on Dumbledore.

"It's all right, Severus," he said, quietly, levitating a wingback chair to a position facing the settee. "Can you sit up? I'd like to speak with you for awhile."

Severus looked hard at the older wizard for a moment or two then leveraged himself into a sitting position facing him. He was trembling and he stuttered. "Lupin is … he is a …"

"Werewolf, yes," the Headmaster finished. "Since he was a very small boy, unfortunately."

Snape's eyes widened. "You allowed him to come to Hogwarts? Knowing what he is?"

"Remus Lupin is an exceptional young wizard, with many gifts. He deserves the opportunity for an education to develop those gifts. It is not his fault that he was bitten; as I said, he was a mere child when it happened. I have taken certain precautions to ensure that he does not endanger others during his monthly transformations and for 5 years those precautions have held," Dumbledore still spoke quietly, but his voice was pure steel.

"Until tonight," Snape sneered.

"Until tonight," he agreed. "But, Severus, tonight was hardly Remus' fault. He has gone to the Shack for his transformations each and every full moon since his first year at Hogwarts."

"Your _precautions_ didn't take Sirius Black into consideration, did they? He purposefully sent me down there tonight; he knew what would happen if I went into that tunnel. He set me up; he and Lupin planned this!"

Dumbledore sighed. "Remus Lupin takes his condition very seriously, Severus. He goes to the Shrieking Shack because he _knows_ that it is designed and magically charmed to hold the wolf – to keep it away from people. I can assure you that he would _not _have played any role in planning this."

Snape stood abruptly and walked over to the fireplace. "Your precious _Gryffindors _are not as virtuous as you would have me believe, Headmaster! Lupin is as bad as the rest of them and if it meant humiliating or harming _me_, he would certainly do whatever it took to make that happen!"

"Severus, please sit down," Dumbledore asked without turning. "I have several questions to ask about what occurred this evening – the answers to which I believe you possess."

The Slytherin wizard hesitated for a few moments before slowly making his way back to the settee and sinking down onto the edge of the cushion. He fixed his gaze on the Headmaster, silently waiting for him to begin speaking again.

"Thank you. Now, let us drop what I'm afraid will be a circular discussion about Mr. Lupin's complicity in tonight's events. I have already heard from Messers. Potter and Pettigrew and now I would like your version of what happened, Severus." Dumbledore sat back in his chair and waited, watching Snape carefully.

"I'm sure they had a great deal to say – none of it particularly truthful," Snape spat.

"Oh, I don't know. I thought Mr. Potter's version was quite truthful – at least insofar as the facts he was privy to. There is much he does not know, Severus; he admitted as much to me. His information about your conversation with Sirius Black, for example, is an area he feels is incomplete. I'd like you to fill in the blanks, as they say. I would like you to do so now," whilst maintaining a benign expression, Dumbledore's voice brooked no argument.

Snape took a deep breath. "I ran into Black outside, on the grounds, late this afternoon…"

"And how was it that you happened to _run into _him?"

Snape exhaled sharply. "_Fine_. I had seen Lupin leaving the castle and knew that the rest of his little _followers_ would, undoubtedly, be close behind him. I went outside to wait. Black left the castle through the front doors and walked directly past where I was standing. I stopped him and confronted him about the illicit activities – led by Lupin – being perpetrated by their group."

"And which you now know do not exist," Dumbledore reminded his student. At Snape's raised eyebrows, he continued. "Clearly, as you are now aware, Remus Lupin could not have been conducting _any_ activities – illicit or otherwise – with his friends on the nights he leaves the castle and travels to the Shrieking Shack, are we agreed on this?"

The penny dropped. Snape's face slackened as the full import of the Headmaster's words sunk in.

"Yes, I rather thought we would be," Dumbledore said evenly. "But, for the sake of being thorough in our conversation, why don't you tell me what you _thought_ they were doing every month; I am very interested to hear."

Snape's eyes snapped up to meet Dumbledore's gaze. "I – there must be - it is no longer important."

"It is important to me; and it was important enough for you to threaten Sirius Black. I need to have the full picture, Severus and therefore, I must insist that you tell me the complete detail of your conversation with Mr. Black." Dumbledore's voice – and expression – were both quite firm.

Severus lowered his gaze. "Sirius Black practices a particularly distasteful brand of debauchery – one that only brings harm to the young women with whom he associates himself. I was certain that one such witch was harmed due to one of these illicit sojourns to Hogsmeade; now that I know these sojourns do not happen as I had originally thought, I was obviously mistaken about the detail."

"But not the fact? A young woman here at Hogwarts has been … _harmed_ … by something Sirius Black has done? As Headmaster of this school, Severus, I must know…_now_." Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat.

Snape nodded.

"Physically?"

Snape thought of the scene in the abandoned classroom and Ofelia's torn robes. There was no mark on her person – that he could see; how many times had his father struck his mother in places not clearly visible? With that image burning on his heart, Snape nodded again.

"Sexually?"

There was no hesitation; Snape nodded a third time.

"Against her will?"

Snape looked up at the Headmaster. "That I do not know," he answered honestly. "However, I can think of one occasion when there were signs that perhaps she had struggled against him." Snape's mind went back to the torn robes once again before he continued, "Black goes through witches at the same rate most students go through blank parchment. He has a certain reputation; perhaps this young woman foolishly succumbed to it."

Dumbledore nodded. "If she willingly became involved with Mr. Black, Severus, that is entirely another matter. Although you may consider her foolish for taking up with him, there would be no adverse action taken against Mr. Black as a result of her doing so. Students are, after all, entitled to follow their hearts."

"Even if …" Snape hesitated once more. _I have no right to reveal her secret – or do I? There is the chance that she did not willingly agree to Black's advances. She has not revealed her pregnancy to anyone that I am aware of; Isolde knows of it only from happening upon Ofelia without the concealment in place. _

"'_Even if'_,?" Dumbledore was speaking to him.

"Headmaster, this young woman has no idea that anyone is aware of …this _situation_. If she has not chosen to reveal herself then I am uncertain if I should do so in her stead," Snape looked down at his hands.

"You are concerned that she will find out that you know about it and have disclosed it to me, is this the case?"

The dark head nodded.

"I would ask you to think about your own circumstances, Severus – or those that existed before your father's passing. You could be projecting past conflicts, witnessed as a child, onto Mr. Black and this young woman; I believe you've already thought of this. I can well understand your desire to both help your friend as well as to protect her from discovery. If you are reluctant to have her know that you are aware of her situation, there is little you can do to protect her on your own," Dumbledore reasoned. "If you feel that Sirius continues to pose a risk to this young woman, you are obligated to disclose her name to me so that I may investigate the matter." When Snape remained silent, the Headmaster added, "However, if this young woman has been _'harmed' _by Mr. Black's careless handling of her affections and suffers from a broken heart as a result, it is hardly within the scope of my office to become involved."

Snape looked up at Dumbledore. "She is pregnant."

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "You are certain of this?"

"Yes. I was told by one of the witches who shares a dormitory with her," Snape confirmed.

"So it is secondhand information."

"I suppose it is, yes."

"May I have the name of the young woman who was involved with Mr. Black? The only way I can ascertain if she has been done true harm is to speak with her directly. There will be grave consequences to Mr. Black if he has forced himself upon _anyone_. I will not take action against him without an ability to prove conclusively that he is guilty."

"Ofelia Bullstrode," came the firm response. _If you are guilty, Black, you will pay the price for it. _

Dumbledore stared at the boy before him. "You realize that they were – until quite recently – engaged under a marriage contract between their two families?"

"Yes."

"And that the dissolution of that contract was satisfactory to both parties?"

"If not the manner in which it was dissolved," Snape replied, nodding.

"And you are certain of the identity of the father?"

"The individual who informed me of the pregnancy is indeed certain. I'm certain that when you speak with Ofelia, she will confirm it."

Dumbledore nodded. None of this made sense to him. Sirius and Ofelia certainly seemed to share a most cordial relationship, indeed, _friendship_; he had witnessed it for himself on several occasions. Suddenly anxious to conclude the interview with Snape and speak with Sirius, Dumbledore caught his student's eye once more.

"I appreciate your candor, Severus. I will investigate the matter thoroughly, you may be sure. If there is wrongdoing on the part of anyone – and this young woman has been harmed by it – there will be consequences. I assume you told Mr. Black about your suspicions?"

"Yes, Headmaster. His response was to attempt to have me fed to his little werewolf friend, as you know," the anger had returned to Snape's face and voice.

"Severus, _please_. There are two things that I wish to bring to your attention. The first involves your disclosure of your knowledge of Ms. Bullstrode's condition to Sirius. You must realize that while I will endeavor to keep your identity as my source confidential, he certainly has no motivation to do so. He may easily give that information to Ms. Bullstrode. I have no control over that."

Snape paled; he had failed to consider that possibility. "And the second thing?"

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "I must ask that you give me your word that you will tell no one – no one at all – of Remus Lupin's condition. He was in no way responsible for anything that happened tonight and does not deserve the ramifications of having his lycanthropy become common knowledge. Do I make myself clear?"

Snape's eyes became impossibly wide as he processed what Dumbledore demanded of him. "Headmaster, you cannot be serious. After what happened here tonight, he cannot be allowed to continue his studies here; he is a danger to every student. He must be removed."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. "I am the Headmaster of this school, Mr. Snape and the decision to retain Mr. Lupin as a student here is entirely mine to make; not yours. I have made my decision and Remus will remain. And _you_ must give me your word that you will do nothing whatsoever that will circumvent that decision."

"I cannot believe that the Ministry of Magic would not override you and have him removed if they knew of his … _condition_." Snape sneered as he spoke the final word.

"I'm sure they would try," Dumbledore agreed. "This is why it is so imperative that his secret not be revealed beyond this room." He paused. "Severus, I am aware that you find Remus' predicament distasteful and, even before you knew of his condition, you had little regard for him as a person. It would have been difficult to miss your feelings. That said, you and he have something in common: you are both victims of circumstance over which you had no control. Remus has chosen to pursue a path away from the darkness of the creature that inhabits his body and mind; by doing so, he is choosing to keep the creature from inhabiting his _soul_. You face a similar choice. Know that if you are unable to resist the darkness that both threatens – and _seduces_, and act impetuously my help and my protection will be made equally available to _you_. The price for that is mercy – paid in the form of your silence."

Severus took in all that Dumbledore was saying – and not saying – and he began to tremble. "Don't the Muggles call that _blackmail_, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore smiled gently. "Do they? Such an ugly word; I prefer "_agreement_". Now, what's it to be, Severus? Will you deny the darkness that wishes to do irreparable harm to Mr. Lupin and give me your word that you will hold his secret? Or, will you deny yourself the ultimate protection that will be extended to you – should you need it in your future? Come, come, now; you must decide quickly. I have other interviews to conduct tonight, after all."

Severus weighed his options and finally looked back at the elderly wizard seated before him. "You win. You have my word." His rich voice was low and its tone carried some measure of his deep anger at having this promise exacted from him in the manner Dumbledore had employed.

"I've won nothing, my boy," Dumbledore stood. "There are no winners in the situation in which we find ourselves this night. Come, Severus, I promised Madam Pomfrey that I would deliver you to the hospital wing for a more thorough examination."

"I am fine, Headmaster," Snape protested, wanting nothing more than to retreat to the seclusion of his own corner in the Slytherin Common room.

"Why don't we humor her, then? We'll have an expert confirm your diagnosis and we'll all feel much better for it."

Having no alternative but to agree, Snape fell in beside Dumbledore and the wizards made their way to the door and soon stepped onto the top of the staircase.


	38. Aftermath & Accountability: Sirius Black

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Language, mild violence

Chapter 38 – Aftermath & Accountability – Sirius Black

Lost in thought, Albus Dumbledore moved along the corridors of the castle, thinking of his conversation with Severus Snape as he made his way back to his office. Much to Poppy's dismay, when her follow-up examination revealed that Severus was, indeed, recovered from his injuries, Dumbledore supported the boy's desire to return to his own dormitory. Severus had been through quite an ordeal; the introvert in him needed to return to his familiar surroundings to process the events of the evening.

As he passed the staircase that led to the Gryffindor Tower, the Headmaster reversed his path and ascended the ancient stone steps. Arriving at Minerva McGonagall's door, he hesitated only momentarily, then raised his hand and knocked. Dumbledore heard rustling coming from behind the door then it opened, revealing the Head of Gryffindor House, hurriedly pushing one final hairpin into the tightly coiled knot of hair at her crown. Her face registered surprise at finding the Headmaster standing at her door.

"Albus! What are you …what's happened?"

"Minerva, may I come in? I can only stay a moment."

She pulled the door back further to allow him entry to her rooms then closed it behind him. Gesturing to one of the two chairs before her blazing hearth, Minerva seated herself in the other. Folding her hands in her lap, she met Dumbledore's gaze and lost her struggle to control her impatience. "Well, Albus?"

"I have only some of the detail, but there was an incident this evening involving Remus Lupin," the Headmaster began.

Minerva's hand flew to her throat and her face paled. "He hasn't … the wolf didn't…"

Dumbledore shook his head rapidly. "No, no; Remus hasn't attacked anyone – exactly." Quickly, he explained what he knew thus far – omitting any reference to Ofelia Bullstrode's potential condition - and said that he was on his way to meet with Sirius. "I would anticipate that there will be repercussions far beyond any consequences you and I could bring to bear. I thought it wise to let you know what was happening in advance of that meeting. I will, of course, fill you in on everything once I've met with Mr. Black."

Minerva nodded. "Thank you, Albus. You know, as high spirited and reckless as the boy is, I cannot see Black endangering Remus intentionally. They are too close and Black has always been far too protective of Remus for that."

Albus rose. "I agree, Minerva. I am hopeful that more light will be shed on the reason behind the boy's actions. I will Floo call you when we've finished. At the very least, I suspect you will need to escort him back to the Tower."

"Albus," Minerva put her hand on his arm as he reached for the door handle. "Will you need to notify his parents of this incident?"

"To do so would expose Remus' condition," Albus shook his head. "He doesn't deserve any more exposure than he's already suffered. And, despite the severity of what he's done tonight, I don't believe that subjecting Sirius to his parents' wrath serves any positive purpose; do you?"

Minerva shook her head. "But Mr. Snape may easily speak to Regulus Black about Sirius' actions; they share the same House, after all."

"Severus Snape will never speak of this incident. I have his word." Dumbledore patted McGonagall's hand where it rested on his arm. "I really must go now. Mr. Black should be waiting."

Although her expression was doubtful, Minerva stepped back and allowed the Headmaster to exit. Closing the door behind him, she sighed. _Let's hope, for Remus' sake, that Snape would honor his word._

XXXXXXXX

Although he had made the trip to Dumbledore's office many times during his Hogwarts career, Sirius could not remember a time when he had been more apprehensive about speaking to the Headmaster. His heavy black boots made slow progress over the stone floors as the distance lessened between himself and what was certain to be an unpleasant fate – although it couldn't rival the conversation he'd just had with James and Peter when they'd delivered Dumbledore's message. Sirius' heart clenched as he thought back to the scene in the 5th year dormitory room they shared.

_Sirius was perched on the window seat in his dormitory when the door opened and two of his friends walked in. He was gratified to see James' injuries had been healed. Peter said nothing just glanced over at Sirius before sitting down on his own bed. _

"_Dumbledore wants to see you, Sirius," James informed him tonelessly, taking off his bloodstained robes and tossing them on top of his trunk. "He's with Snape now; he said you should have a seat outside his office and he'd come get you when they were finished."_

_Sirius rose from his seat. "What happened when you met with him? What did he say? How much trouble are we in?" _

"'We'_?" James shot back at him. "'How much trouble are _we_ in?'? Why in Merlin's name would _we_ be in trouble? Peter and I went down to the Willow to prevent Snape getting killed! I don't think that necessarily merits detention!"_

_Sirius couldn't help himself, "In a perfect world, it might_."

_James' punch landed on Sirius' left cheekbone, just below his eye. The force of it sat Sirius back down on the window seat. Although he automatically brought his hand up to cover the spot, his shock at James' blow prevented Sirius from feeling the physical pain. _

"_You insufferable _bastard_!" James stuffed his fists in his pockets to avoid striking out again. "You don't _get _it, do you? How can you sit there and make jokes about Snape being killed when it would have been _Remus_ who paid the price for it? You hate Snape – fine; I don't have any love for him, either. But I wouldn't send him to his death for it – especially if the situation involved one of my best friends doing the killing! What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?" _

"_What the fuck is wrong with _me_?" Sirius exclaimed. "What the fuck is wrong with _you_? You don't even ask me what made me do it? You just haul back and punch me in the face? You don't think that maybe – just maybe – Snape threatened Remus himself? That maybe I did what I did because I thought it would protect Remus from him?"_

_James' eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to tell me that you sent Snape down to the Shack because you thought _that _would be the best solution to anything Snape might have threatened him with? Because _that _would actually _protect _Remus?"_

_Sirius rose and approached James. "He was going to have him expelled – along with the rest of _us."

_James shook his head. "If he'd killed Snape, he would have been _worse _than expelled. If he'd killed Snape – or turned him – Remus would have been _executed_." At the horror reflected on Sirius' face, he added, "Didn't think about that, did you?"_

"_You don't know for certain that they would have done that to him! Besides, it wouldn't have been Remus; it would have been the wolf. He doesn't have control of the wolf at full moon, Jamie!" Sirius stepped backward until he fell back onto the window cushion. _

"_The Ministry doesn't care about the distinction, Sirius. To them, Remus and the wolf are the same being. What the wolf does, Remus is responsible for. _You know this_!" James had turned and sat down heavily on his own bed. "I'm not interested in _why _you did it; _that _you did it is bad enough. I'll leave it to Dumbledore to suss out what's behind it."_

"_Jamie, you're my friend," Sirius protested. _

_James looked at him, his expression sad. "So's Remus."_

XXXXXXXX

Sirius shook his head, pulling himself from his thoughts. He glanced to his right and saw the stone bench pushed up against the wall of the corridor and walked over to it. Sitting down with a _thump_ he brought his hand to his cheek again, feeling a sting when his fingers encountered bruised and swollen flesh. _James _hit _me_, he thought, still slightly shocked by the idea. Oh, they'd wrestled as kids and every now and again, a stray elbow would hit an eye, or someone's foot would make contact with a rib, but that was childish horseplay. _This_ was completely different; _this _was from anger – and in response to a comment the likes of which both of them had made since first encountering Snape in first year. Even as that thought crossed his mind, Sirius knew that it wasn't entirely true. Whilst they had said much about Snape, and had launched several pranks that had embarrassed the Slytherin wizard, this was the first time that he had been put in serious danger. Sirius recognized that, for James, it wasn't Snape's safety that sparked such a violent, physical reaction; it was Remus'. _Remus_. He couldn't imagine how his best friend would react when he was told of what had happened tonight. _I really don't _want_ to think about that_, Sirius thought, rising. It was time to face Dumbledore. Sirius just hoped that Snape was not in or around the Headmaster's office when he arrived. He wasn't sure he could handle _that_ encounter at the moment.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius arrived in the waiting area of Dumbledore's office and immediately took a seat. He had heard no voices coming from beyond the Headmaster's closed doors and so he reckoned that Dumbledore had stepped away. _Probably wanted to walk Snape back to the dungeon just in case I wanted another shot at him,_ Sirius thought. _More likely, he went to roust out McGonagall so she could start thinking about my punishment. _

"Mr. Black," Dumbledore's quiet voice startled Sirius and he jumped at the sound.

"Professor," he mumbled.

The older wizard gestured toward his office, indicating that Sirius could precede him. "Please, come in. We have much to discuss."

Once he was inside the office and seated before Dumbledore's desk, Sirius found it difficult to be still. He was worrying the ragged cuticle of one thumb when Dumbledore spoke again.

"You look a bit worse for the wear." Sirius looked up and found Dumbledore gesturing toward his cheek.

"It will heal; I'll be fine," Sirius replied.

"I wasn't under the impression that you were with your friends at the shack this evening. How did you receive that injury?" Dumbledore pressed, wondering if Snape's threats against Sirius had turned physical, as well.

Sirius sighed. "James wasn't too impressed by what I did. This is his reminder that I'm a selfish prat who doesn't have his priorities lined up very well."

"Do you agree with his assessment?"

"James doesn't have the full story," Sirius responded. "He wasn't interested in hearing it, apparently."

"Why don't you share it with me, then? I find that I have a great interest in hearing what precipitated your actions tonight," Dumbledore sat back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap. When the room remained silent, he added, "Talking to me about this isn't optional, Mr. Black."

Sirius looked up at Dumbledore, his face pale. "I know that, Professor; I'm trying to figure out where to start."

"As you may know, I've already spoken with Mr. Snape as well as with Messrs Potter and Pettigrew and I have their versions of tonight's events. That should help you select your starting point."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Snape has been _watching_ us for awhile now. I decided that if I ran into him tonight, I would find out why. I was on my way to meet James and Peter…"

"…to wait outside the Willow during Mr. Lupin's transformation, I understand," Dumbledore interrupted quietly. At Sirius' surprised expression, he continued, "I had known about your discovery of Mr. Lupin's condition, of course. Mr. Potter explained to me that you three walk to the Willow with him each full moon, wait there while he transforms in the shack, then go back to your dormitory. You meet him the following morning and walk back up to the castle with him."

Sirius managed to nod. "We do. At least he has company during part of the night – and people he knows and trus – people he knows when he comes out of the shack in the morning." Sirius hoped the Headmaster didn't comment on his stumble over "trust"; he was certain that he would not be among those Remus trusted when he discovered what had happened this evening.

"Go on, please."

"I was on my way to meet James and Peter, as I said, and I came out of the castle and turned the corner to head down to the Willow. Snape caught my arm as I passed him and he started talking about how he knew what we were all about with our monthly treks off the grounds. He said that Remus was leading vast parties in Hogsmeade with drinking and all manner of debauchery. Remus! How anyone could ever believe that is beyond me!" Sirius paused. "Remus is the least likely amongst us to ever take part in that sort of thing, leave alone organize it."

"There's more, I suspect," Dumbledore prompted.

"Snape said that the opportunity to have us expelled had finally presented itself and he was going to make sure he didn't squander it – or words to that effect. He said that you wouldn't tolerate that sort of behavior and that you'd have to get rid of us once you knew what we'd got up to," Sirius said.

"But you knew that I was aware of the truth of Mr. Lupin's excursions off the grounds each month. You had to realize that when Mr. Snape came to me with his story, I would be able to refute it – without, of course, revealing that truth. There has to be more to Mr. Snape's threats than you've let on."

Sirius looked at the Headmaster and nodded, slowly. "Sir, Snape – that is to say – I, there is …" He looked at Dumbledore imploringly. "Remus' _'secret activities'_ aren't the only things Snape's on about. He's brought someone else into this mess, but they don't deserve it; they have nothing to do with any of it."

"This other person is a student, I take it?"

"Yes."

"And how has Mr. Snape brought this student into the matter?"

"The student has a secret of their own, and it is imperative that it not be revealed at this time."

"And Mr. Snape has threatened to do so?"

"Yes, sir."

"To me?"

"I believe that you were on the list, Professor," Sirius said carefully.

"Ah, so there are a number of people who would have an interest in the information?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Let us leave this for a moment; we'll come back to it. Please go on with the events that led up to Mr. Snape's trip to the Whomping Willow," Dumbledore watched the young Gryffindor closely as he spoke.

Sirius could no longer remain still and now rose and began to pace in front of the desk. "The things that he threatened – he was _so sure_ he had _all _the answers – there were people who could suffer tremendously as a result. I just _couldn't _let him go off and talk about things when he had them _so _wrong – when they weren't his secrets to tell! He thought Remus was doing something so against anything he would _ever_ do; I wanted Snape to realize that he _didn't_ know everything about Remus – about, well, about everything he _thought _he knew." Sirius stopped pacing and turned, standing directly in front of Dumbledore's desk. "I told him that he was wrong and if he wanted proof of his error, he should prod the knot at the base of the Willow, slip through the opening in the base of tree and follow the tunnel below."

"And you sent him straight into the path of a fully grown, transformed werewolf," Dumbledore commented. "I wonder what you thought would happen once Mr. Snape had gone into the tunnel."

Sirius shook his head. "I'm not completely certain. I think I just wanted to frighten Snape enough so that he would stop following Remus – and the rest of us. I wanted him to understand that Remus wasn't someone to be trifled with, I suppose."

"And the other matter, the one involving the unidentified student, I suppose you also wanted him to abandon his plans to pursue _that_," Dumbledore added, watching Sirius with an odd look on his face.

"Yes, sir."

"Please sit down."

"Sirius, I feel certain that I know the identity of the other student involved in this matter and I would very much appreciate you both confirming it as well as disclosing the true nature of Mr. Snape's threat."

"It's not my secret to tell," said Sirius, miserably.

"Nor was Mr. Lupin's," Dumbledore said, frankly.

"No," Sirius' voice wasn't much more than a whisper. "Please, can't you just let this go? Can't you just focus on the part about Remus?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I suspect that you already know I cannot. What Mr. Snape shared with me cannot be '_let go_', as you've suggested. You must tell me your version – and explain yourself – before any course of action may be determined."

Sirius drew a deep breath. "The other student is Ofelia Bullstrode." He looked up at the Headmaster. "Did I confirm your suspicion?" At Dumbledore's nod, Sirius leaned forward, clasping his hands between his knees and looked the Headmaster directly in the eye. "Professor, Ofelia is pregnant and, despite what Snape has undoubtedly told you, I am _not _the father. I know who the father is, but I am not going to give you – or anyone else – his name. Snape, however, plans to share Ofelia's news with her brother and my cousins which will, of course, result in my parents hearing the lie as well. You can appreciate how well _that _will go over. Given the other half of what happened with Snape – sending him to the wolf – I reckoned that you'd just expel me anyway and I'd end up right back at Grimmauld – right within reach of my _mother_."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Did you think that I would automatically believe Mr. Snape without having this conversation with you? After what happened with your mother over Christmas holiday and more recently, in this very office, do you have so little trust in me?"

Sirius blinked rapidly, feeling his emotions finally rising to the surface. He was determined to fight them back down. Finally succeeding, he replied, "Having trust in people hasn't worked out very well for me today." Sirius touched his bruised cheek absently. "So, how does my version match up with Snape's?"

"Mr. Snape has some very different ideas than those you've shared with me," Dumbledore said softly. "You've played your part very well these last months; he is completely unaware of the friendship that exists between you and Miss Bullstrode. Having witnessed that myself – and now seeing your obvious reluctance to further compromise her rather complicated situation – I find Mr. Snape's version of the truth to be somewhat lacking."

Sirius looked back down at his hands as he felt the tears – this time of relief – rise again. "Thank you, sir," he whispered after a few moments. "Sir, did Snape give you the name of the person who told him about Ofelia's condition?"

Dumbledore nodded. "He did, after quite a bit of persuasion. As we were walking down to the hospital wing, he disclosed his source."

"Does Ofelia know someone told about her situation? Is this person likely to tell others about Ofelia's condition?"

Dumbledore considered the question carefully. "I will be speaking with Miss Bullstrode tomorrow and will let her know the source of the information. I will not, however, be making her aware of the full circumstances of tonight's events. That serves no purpose and creates more risk for Mr. Lupin. The individual who told Mr. Snape about her observations did not do so maliciously and so it is my feeling that she would not indiscriminately spread this news. I believe that she most likely confided in Mr. Snape because of the nature of his relationship with Miss Bullstrode. She perceives them to be friends, as she perceives herself to be. I suspect she feels the same way about the friendship she has with Mr. Snape and Miss Bullstrode as you do about yours with your friends. There's a built-in loyalty factor. If I were to ask her, I'm sure she would be stunned to think that her discussion with Snape could be viewed as disloyal in any way."

Sirius winced at Dumbledore's mention of loyalty. He was sure that any loyalty James and Peter felt toward him had died when James' knuckles had connected with Sirius' face.

"You are very concerned about the security of Miss Bullstrode's condition," Dumbledore observed quietly.

"Many people would be hurt by the lie Snape has told were it to come out," Sirius replied.

"And so, sending Mr. Snape to the shack tonight was the better choice because only two people would have been hurt by the confrontation that would have ultimately occurred?"

Sirius' head shot up at the question. "No! That wasn't what I was thinking at all!"

"But that was your choice, Sirius. You guarded two secrets: Remus' curse and Ofelia's condition. Both were threatened tonight; you chose to protect Ofelia at Remus' expense. Consciously or unconsciously, that was the result of your action."

"I _didn't_," Sirius ran his hand through his already tangled hair. "I sent Snape to the Willow because I thought he would be terrified into silence about _both_."

"You're more intelligent than that, Sirius. At some level, you _had _to know that there was a very real possibility that Mr. Snape would be physically harmed by Remus in his wolf form. Was your objective to frighten Mr. Snape into silence, or was it to silence him in whatever manner eventually occurred?" Dumbledore needed Sirius to look deeply within himself for the answer.

"You think that I'm capable of _murder_?" Sirius asked hoarsely. "You think that I would deliberately send another person to their own death and use one of my friends as the weapon?"

"It doesn't matter what I think, Mr. Black."

Sirius shook his head. "It matters to _me_."

When Dumbledore remained silent, Sirius shook his head again and walked over to stand by the fireplace. After long moments spent staring into the flames, Sirius said, "I only wanted him to be scared enough to leave us all alone. I hate Snape, I won't lie to you, but I wouldn't deliberately send him to be killed."

Dumbledore's expression softened. It was rare that his insight into a student wasn't correct, but it was always gratifying to have that accuracy affirmed. "Sirius, ask me again."

Sirius looked at the headmaster, his expression confused. "Ask you … oh. Right. Do you think me capable of murder?"

Dumbledore gestured toward the guest chair so recently vacated by the boy across the room. "Please; come and sit down." After Sirius had settled, he continued, "I do not think you capable of murder; I never have. I think you are a young man who has endured much – and at the hands of those from whom you should never encounter such treatment. I think that you have an uncanny sense of self-preservation and that this quality sometimes leads you to make choices that are more selfish in nature than they should be. I believe that this was one of those choices. There were severe ramifications – in your mind – to having Mr. Snape broadcast his views about Miss Bullstrode's condition. I don't believe you thought through any aspect of your decision beyond making sure you weren't expelled and, therefore, sent back to London – back to your parents." He paused, his face bemused. "I'm curious; did you not think expulsion to be a possible consequence to your actions in sending Mr. Snape to the Willow?"

Sirius' eyes closed briefly and he dropped his head. "No, sir." _Merlin, please don't expel me. I know I deserve it, but please don't send me back to London; not yet. _

"Sirius, look at me," Dumbledore spoke quietly. When he had the young man's attention, he said, "I am not going to expel you. It is not because the offense you have committed is not severe enough to warrant it; it is, indeed. You will not be expelled because I cannot do so without revealing Mr. Lupin's condition – and that is something I will not do – nor will anyone else. Mr. Snape and I have an understanding and he will disclose nothing of what has happened tonight."

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise. "You believe him?"

Dumbledore's face was stern. "I do; for reasons that are mine alone. I do not intend to disclose them to you, but you may rest assured that Mr. Lupin's secret is safe. Three is another reason that I will not send you back to London at the moment: the dissolution of your betrothal to Miss Bullstrode is too recent. I do not trust that you will be safe there at the moment. You _will, _however, be punished."

"Yes, sir," Sirius replied, wondering what was coming and, at the same time, not really caring. He could take anything as long as he didn't have to return to London in the immediate future.

"One hundred points will be taken from Gryffindor House for your lack of judgment in endangering several students by sending Mr. Snape to the Willow this evening. In addition to Mr. Snape, Messrs Potter, and Pettigrew and, of course, Mr. Lupin were put at risk. You will also be removed from the Quidditch team for the remainder of this season and the whole of next year." Sirius felt a pang at being removed from the Gryffindor Quidditch team but, again, knew he deserved it.

"Yes, Professor," Sirius nodded.

"There's one more thing, Sirius," Dumbledore peered at him over his half-moon glasses and, for the first time, Sirius noted that there was nothing of the typical twinkle in his eyes.

"Sir?"

"Mr. Lupin will, undoubtedly, have a far more difficult time of it tonight as a result of the wolf's glimpse and subsequent loss of prey. He will wonder as to the cause of such a difficult full moon. Once Madame Pomfrey has judged him able to have visitors, you will be the one to tell him what happened tonight – and your role in it."

Sirius shook his head and raised his hands, palms outward, as if he could ward off the edict just issued by Dumbledore. "No, _please_, Professor. Don't make me do this. I'm not the one who can deliver this news to Remus." _I can't bear to see the look on his face when I tell him what I've done. It will make Jamie's punch in the face look like a Christmas gift by comparison. _

"You are the _only _person who can deliver this news to Mr. Lupin. If he has questions about the incident, you are uniquely qualified to answer him," Dumbledore spoke calmly.

"But, Professor, if he hates me for what I've done, I don't think I can stand to see it," Sirius' voice trembled.

"Sirius, this isn't about you. It's about Remus. He deserves to hear the truth from the most reliable source of it; _you are that source_. Furthermore, he deserves to feel whatever he feels when he hears that news. And _you_, Sirius, will never learn a more valuable lesson than being there to witness what thoughtless action can do to an innocent person. Particularly when the innocent is someone we care about. It will be a lesson that, if you learn it well, will stand by you throughout the remainder of your life. I hope that it will serve you well," Dumbledore was firm and Sirius knew that there was to be no argument.

"May I go back to my dormitory now, sir?"

"Yes, of course."

Sirius rose and walked slowly toward the office doors.

"Sirius?"

He turned toward the Headmaster, still seated at his desk.

"It is often the most painful and difficult of lessons that remain with us – and guide us – long after they are learnt."

Sirius nodded again then resumed his path to the doors. When he had finally closed them softly behind him, Albus Dumbledore removed his spectacles and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"An impetuous, inconsiderate boy, my great-great grandson," an imperious voice sounded from the wall of portraits opposite the headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore replaced his glasses and sighed, looking over at the portrait of Phinneas Nigellus Black, one of the former headmasters of the school. "Impetuous, perhaps, but his actions are a direct result of the way your _great_ grandson and his wife have treated the boy. It is most disconcerting to see the damage that can be inflicted by parents such as his."

The portrait image opened its mouth, painted eyes flashing. Perhaps thinking better of the response he was prepared to offer, his lips snapped shut without further comment and he turned his face away from the current headmaster.

Dumbledore smiled grimly. "Yes, it rendered me quite speechless as well."

XXXXXXXX

As the door closed behind him, the subject of the headmasters' conversation leaned back against its sturdy surface. Sirius closed his eyes as he thought back to the consequences of his earlier actions. He realized that he could take James' anger and, with less problem, Peter's cold shoulder. Sirius was even prepared to shoulder the anger of the other members of his House when they saw the severe drop in points he had cost Gryffindor.

What he couldn't imagine surviving was the loss of Remus' friendship which was sure to follow when Sirius told him of his betrayal – and to none other than Severus Snape.


	39. Confession & Consequences

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Language

Chapter 39 – Confession & Consequences

"String-mint floss."

The portrait swung to and Sirius climbed into the Gryffindor common room with a heavy heart. It was well after ten o'clock and, even though it was Friday and there were no classes in the morning, there were few students lounging about. A quick scan of the room showed that James and Peter were nowhere to be found and it was with some trepidation that Sirius climbed the staircase to the dormitory. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

James was lying on the top of his bed, reading the latest issue of Quidditch monthly. Peter's bed curtains were closed; Sirius presumed that he was behind them, asleep or perhaps deciding he'd had enough of Sirius for one day. Peter's attitude didn't concern him at the moment.

"James," Sirius greeted his friend as he walked over to his own bed and sat down heavily.

"You're not packing, so I reckon Dumbledore didn't expel you," was the response.

_Ah. Still furious, I see. The punch didn't do more than take the edge off._ "No, he didn't expel me," Sirius confirmed. He offered nothing further, perversely needing to see if James was intent on ignoring him for the rest of the night and not certain what he would do if that was the case.

James maintained the appearance of silent indifference for awhile, fixing his gaze on his magazine. Sirius chanced a look in his direction and was gratified to see that James had been staring at the same spot on the page for awhile. _Good. Maybe he's not completely oblivious to me._

"So?" James asked, looking over the top of the magazine.

"Gryffindor lost 100 points," Sirius began, stopping when James groaned at the news. "And I'm off the Quidditch team for the rest of this year and next year, as well."

James' eyebrows shot up to his hairline at this comment. "_Merlin_, Sirius. Gideon Prewett is going to have a _cow_ when he hears! And McGonagall …I don't even want to think about what she'll be like." He looked back at the other boy. "Is that it? Because I think those punishments are worse for Gryffindor than for you."

Sirius' mouth fell open. "Worse for _Gryffindor?_ How can you _say _that? You know how much I love Quidditch!"

James was forced to nod. "I know, I know; but even though you don't get to _play_, it's going to impact whether or not we _win_. That – and the loss of points – hurts the whole House!"

Sirius felt the prickle of irritability settle over him. "Well, James, he wasn't quite finished with me after the "no Quidditch" consequence. You'll be happy to here that there's one more."

James picked up his magazine again and began flipping pages. "Yeah? And what's that, Sirius? All of Gryffindor gets detention with Slughorn? Scrubbing cauldrons by hand – no magic?"

"I have to tell Remus what happened. I have to tell him what I've done," Sirius' voice was low, quiet and resigned.

James dropped the magazine onto his lap. "You have to _what_?"

"I'm guessing you think _that's_ appropriately, _singularly_ personal," Sirius couldn't help the sarcastic comment. James' anger was justified; Merlin knew Sirius was angry at himself, as well. It was the abject hostility that stung. "Dumbledore is going to send word when Remus is allowed visitors and I have to go and tell him what happened tonight; what _I _did to Snape. What I did to _him_."

James continued to gawk at him, expression incredulous. "_You _have to tell him? _Blimey_, Sirius."

"I figured that'd impress you," Sirius said then he looked over at his friend once again. "Yeah, _I _have to tell him."

"What are you going to say?"

"No idea. I suppose as much as he lets me say; sort of like telling _you_, really," Sirius said.

"Don't you dare have the _stones_ to sit there and try to make me feel bad because I wouldn't listen to you," James said. "It won't work."

"I didn't expect it to," Sirius said, rising. "I'm going down to the Common Room to wait for Dumbledore's message. I can actually _be _alone there instead of just _feeling _alone up here." He paused at the door but didn't turn around. "You know something, Jamie? I _know _I fucked up, ok? I know I did. I _thought _you were my friend. I _thought _that no matter how stupid I was, no matter what kind of idiot thing I might do, that even if you were mad at me, you'd still be my friend."

"I'm Remus' friend, too," came the quiet reply.

Sirius felt his throat begin to close. "Based on everything I've heard from you tonight, you're Remus' friend – _period_."

James looked over to reply, but Sirius was gone.

XXXXXXXX

As it turned out, Sirius fell into a fitful sleep stretched out on the sofa and never heard a thing until dawn. Repeated throat clearing, followed by a firm shake to his shoulder brought him around and he opened his eyes to see a dark green hem inches from his nose. Craning his head upward, Sirius encountered the stern countenance of his Head of House, Professor McGonagall. He was fully awake immediately. He knew why she had come.

"Remus is awake," he said, struggling to his feet as his back muscles twinged in evidence of the night spent on the floor.

"No, Mr. Black, he is _not _awake. Mr. Lupin sustained quite extensive injuries last night and Madam Pomfrey has given him a strong sleeping drought. He may not be awake until later this evening or tomorrow morning," McGonagall advised him. "Professor Dumbledore suggests that you remain inside; someone will come for you when he awakens and can have visitors."

"How badly is he hurt? Will he be all right?" Sirius' face had paled and his blue eyes were suspiciously bright. "Pomfrey must have told you _something_, Professor; you're his Head of House. _Please._"

McGonagall's face softened. "Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin's wounds have been healed, but he lost a great deal of blood and sustained several broken bones. _Madam_ Pomfrey has mended his bones, as well and given him blood replenishing potions. He needs to sleep to finish the healing process. Madam Pomfrey has seen to it that he will get the rest he needs to do so." She reached over and squeezed his shoulder again. "You needn't worry. Mr. Lupin will be fine."

Sirius nodded. "Thank you, Professor." He met her gaze. "You know what I have to do, don't you?"

"Yes, Mr. Black; Professor Dumbledore has told me of the punishments that have been decided for you. I must say that I am extremely disappointed in the recklessness of your behavior regarding Mr. Lupin and, of course, Mr. Snape. Your behavior reflects poorly on our House, Mr. Black, and has penalized all of us with both the loss of a significant number of points as well as your services on the Quidditch team."

Sirius nodded. Her quiet voice and the disappointment in her tone struck him keenly. "I'm sorry, Professor."

"I'm sure you _are_, Mr. Black, but that doesn't change the fact of things, does it? This will be a very difficult conversation for you both. You will need to be prepared for any reaction; you realize this?"

"Yes, Professor," he replied.

"Go down to breakfast, Mr. Black then perhaps you can do some studying for O.W.L.s, yes?"

Privately, Sirius thought it ludicrous that she was asking him to study whilst waiting for the summons to go and tell Remus the absolute worst news he could ever tell him. He was sure that his powers of concentration weren't nearly that acute.

Sirius waited until McGonagall had left the Common Room before going up to the dormitory, pulling out some clean clothing and heading for the showers. He had no interest in seeing any of his friends who would also be heading into the Great Hall for breakfast. He had no appetite anyway, so it made sense to just hit the showers and figure out what to do afterward once he was finished.

As he stood in the shower, letting the hot water rush over his body, Sirius thought back to the conversation with McGonagall. Remus must have been hurt quite badly for Pomfrey to give him a sleeping draught. Of course, Moony didn't hurt Remus that badly anymore; not since they'd given him his own "pack" to run with each full moon. Without them, and after having seen Snape, the wolf must have turned on Remus with a vengeance last night. _'You will need to be prepared for any reaction…'_ McGonagall's words burned through his mind. He understood the need; he just didn't understand _how _he could _ever _prepare_._

Twenty minutes later, showered and dressed in clean robes, Sirius grabbed his wand and went down the stairs, through the Common Room and out the portrait hole. He would stay indoors as he promised McGonagall, but the Common Room walls were beginning to close in around him and he felt the need to put as much distance between himself and Gryffindor Tower as he could. He decided to walk through the school corridors and consider the words he would use to explain to Remus why the full moon had been so difficult for him.

Sirius traveled through the castle for hours, stumbling upon corridors and rooms he'd never seen before. Past portraits of long-dead historical figures, animals and pastoral landscapes Sirius walked without awareness of where he was headed, truly wandering without conscious destination. So absorbed in his own thoughts was he that Sirius never saw Dumbledore until he'd walked right into the man.

"Professor! I didn't see you there, I'm sorry," he apologized, shoving his hands into the pockets of his robes. "I was … thinking."

"An admirable pursuit, Mr. Black," the Headmaster replied. "This must be an act of providence; I was coming to collect you. Mr. Lupin has awakened and Madam Pomfrey has judged him fit for visitors. You will be the first to see him; you can go right in." Dumbledore gestured to the large oak door to his left. Subconsciously, Sirius apparently _had_ set a destination: the hospital wing.

He paled and looked at Dumbledore beseechingly. "I don't even know where to start," he whispered, realizing that despite the hours he'd spent alone with his thoughts, he was no closer to knowing what he would say to his friend now that Remus was awake and judged well enough to see him.

Dumbledore grasped his shoulders gently but with purpose and turned him to face the door. "Your life at home has not been an easy one, yet you have harnessed all of the courage you possess and you have survived it. You will survive this, as well. Now, go and speak with Mr. Lupin. You must put this part behind you before you can move forward." He released the young man and took a step backward.

Sirius squared his shoulders and walked up to the doors. Grasping the handle firmly, he took a deep breath, pushed the door open and walked into what he knew would be one of the defining moments of his young life.

Once the boy had disappeared, Dumbledore sighed and sat down on the bench across from the entrance to the hospital wing. Folding his hands in his lap, he fixed his gaze on the door and settled in to await the outcome.

XXXXXXXX

The hospital wing was lit more dimly than was usual and all the beds – save one – were empty. The bed that was typically given to Remus Lupin was situated in the far corner of the wing – the corner that featured a large window overlooking the grounds and the Black Lake. It was removed from the rest of the wing, close to Madam Pomfrey's office and could be made more private by the use of a large privacy screen.

As he walked across the flagstone floor of the hospital wing, Sirius kept his eyes firmly fixed on the figure propped up on pillows, resting on the bed. Drawing closer, he could see the dark rings that typically circled Remus' eyes for a couple of days after each transformation. Were they really darker than usual, or did Sirius' guilt cause him to see his friend's condition as worse than it really was?

"Sirius?" Remus' hoarse voice floated weakly toward him and he turned his face in Sirius' direction.

Sirius quickened his pace and fixed what he hoped was a natural looking smile on his face. "Yeah, Moony, it's me." He passed a bed that had a guest chair next to it and thought momentarily about bringing it with him to Remus' bed. Sirius abandoned the idea almost the moment he recognized it; who knew how long Remus would allow him to stay.

As he drew level with his friend, Sirius noted the newly healed wounds on his pale hands, arms and two particularly painful looking slashes that began at the base of his throat and continued beyond the neck of the hospital robes he wore. He realized now what he had not thought of when he was giving Snape directions to the tunnel: Sirius was responsible for any wounds Remus sustained during this full moon. _I put them there; every one of them._ Remus' face blurred as tears filled Sirius' eyes. He busied himself with pouring Remus a glass of water from the pitcher on his bedside table, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

"Here," he said, turning back to his friend. "Let me help you with this." _While I can. While you still let me do _anything_ with you. _Sirius placed the cup between Remus hands and helped him hold it steady as he drank.

"Thank you," Remus said when he'd finished. "Did you find a way to earn extra House points doing medi-witch work for Madam Pomfrey?" He wore his usual kind smile and his eyes were filled with warm affection for his friend.

Sirius shook his head, incapable of speech for a moment.

"Padfoot, you three must have gotten to the shack after I'd transformed last night. The wolf – well, this morning, when I transformed back, the wolf had been particularly vicious. Do you know what happened? I'm assuming that you three couldn't handle me last night and left…"

"I'm sorry," Sirius whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Remus shook his head and reached for Sirius' arm; the other boy pulled it back as if Remus' touch had burned him. "Sirius, what's wrong? You don't have to apologize. You know I've said from the start that if the wolf was unusually difficult on any given full, you three should abandon it straight away and go back to the tower. I never want you hurt – or worse. I never want that for anyone."

"I know, Remus; you'd never want anyone to go through what you do every month. You're so careful," Sirius said quietly. He thought of Dumbledore's talk of courage and survival and he wondered if perhaps Grimmauld Place and the fight to survive had sapped him of both. Sirius knew what he had to do but he doubted his ability to survive it.

"I know what happened last night, Remus," he began. "We never got there last night. James and Peter had detention and I was supposed to wait for them – with the cloak – at the base of the Willow."

"Were they delayed?"

"No, I was. Remus – someone else found their way into the tunnel last night."

Remus gasped audibly. "Someone … who?"

"Snape."

"_Snape?_ Sirius, how did he even know…?"

_Just do it; get it over with. You can't leave him hanging like this. Look at him; his mind is already twisting and turning with the worst possible scenarios that could have happened last night. Tell. Him._

"You know he's been following us around for the past few months, right? Well, he's seen you make the trip from the castle down the path toward the Willow. He'd seen us following you a short time later. Last night, he was waiting for me at the head of the path. Claimed he'd put it all together …he'd concocted a wild story about …" Sirius stopped. "He made threats about going to Dumbledore with his 'evidence' – once he'd gathered it - and finally getting all of us expelled. I knew his head was up his arse about it all but … I told him how to get into the tunnel. Said that he'd find all the _evidence _to prove himself wrong. He …" Remus' face had grown paler and paler as Sirius had spoken and now he held up one hand, palm out, toward Sirius.

"Let me understand this; _you_ told Severus Snape how to still the Whomping Willow and slip into the tunnel that leads to the Shrieking Shack – to _me_. Is that right?" His voice was deadly quiet, but it was encased in steel, belying the apparent weakness of his condition.

"I thought that…"

"_Yes _or _no_, Sirius," Remus interrupted again.

"Yes," miserably spoken.

"What happened?"

"He got into the tunnel just after you transformed in the Shack. By that time, James and Peter had met up with me and knew what I'd done. They were on their way and got to the tunnel just as Snape was pushing against the trap door." Sirius was rushing to get through everything he had to say. Watching Remus' face while he spoke was agony, but he could not bring himself to look away, either.

"Did he see the wolf?"

"Yes. Moony jumped on the trapdoor, causing it to hit Snape on top of his head, knocking him out. James got him out of the tunnel; Peter cast strengthening and reinforcement charms on the trap door to ensure that Moony stayed put whilst they made the trip back through the tunnel and out onto the grounds."

"He _saw_," Remus murmured, closing his eyes.

"Remus," Sirius began but Remus' eyes snapped open and the expression was as intense as anything Sirius had ever seen.

"What did you think would happen in that tunnel, Sirius?"

"I didn't think it through, Remus. Looking back, I suppose I thought that he would hear the wolf, it would scare the piss out of him and he'd leave," Sirius said, hearing the desperation ringing through his voice.

"I wasn't asking about what _Snape _would do. What did you think the _wolf_ would do if it saw him? If _I_ saw him?" Remus snapped.

"I never thought the wolf would get to him, Remus!"

"_Bollocks!_" Sirius could count in one hand the number of times he had heard Remus curse. He closed his mouth and resolved to simply listen. "You _know_ the wolf, Sirius. Had it not been clumsy enough to land on the trap door, I would have gotten into the tunnel. Did you actually _think_ that the wolf would have let Snape _leave_? Were you so abysmally _stupid_ that you thought I would have passed up the chance for _prey_, Sirius? The wolf has been caged – in that bloody shack – for how long? For all that time, there was no prey, no human victim on which it could gorge. I would have _killed _him, Sirius – at best; I would have turned him – at the _worst. _And, quite possibly, taken James and Peter with him."

Sirius shook his head, but remained silent.

"Where were _you_, Sirius, whilst James and Peter were trying to pull Snape's arse out of the tunnel? Where were _you_, with all your hatred of Snape and lust for revenge?" Remus was breathing harshly now and the color that had been long absent from his face had flooded back in with his anger.

"We were in the dorm when I told them. They left. I followed them not long afterward. I got to the Willow just as they set the branches back in motion," Sirius' voice could barely be heard, but Remus caught every word.

"You used me, Sirius. Used me to get even with Snape. You kept my secret until it no longer suited you; until it served you better to reveal it." Remus' voice was losing some of its volume and he had begun to tremble. "Tell me something," he demanded softly. "Did you just pretend to be my friend, too? Were you just killing time until the right reason to betray me presented itself? Because that's what you've done, Sirius. You've betrayed me in the worst way possible."

"I never pretended to be your friend. I _am _your friend," Sirius said, not bothering to wipe the tears that were now streaming down his face.

Remus looked directly at him. "You _were_ my friend." With that, he turned his face away and didn't look back until Sirius' thundering footsteps could no longer be heard in the room.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius threw open the door of the hospital wing and ran into the corridor. Dumbledore rose, but the younger wizard never saw him – nor did he hear Dumbledore calling his name repeatedly. Sirius tore down the hallway, virtually skidding around corridors, racing down staircases at reckless speed and finally gaining the entrance call, through which he continued until he reached the front doors of the castle and hurtled through them to the grounds. He never realized that one of the last students he'd pushed past in his blind desire to flee – was Kate.

Blinded by tears and barely able to catch a full breath, Sirius ran down the path to the willow, found their – not his any longer – stick to prod the knot and, once the tree had stilled, slipped through the opening and entered the tunnel. His pace slowed out of necessity once he was on the dirt floor of the tunnel. Roots from the tree periodically poked through the earth underfoot and to catch ones boot in one was to risk painful injury. Onward Sirius traveled, moving as quickly as he dared, until he reached the slight incline that led to the trapdoor. He climbed up on the rough rocks below it, pushed it open and lifted himself into the Shack. Not even bothering to drop the door back into place, Sirius stumbled over to the furthest corner of the room – the one where Padfoot would curl up after Remus' transformations back to human – and wait for the boy to awaken. There, he curled up in his human form and allowed all of the emotions of the past twenty-four hours to wash over him and he began to sob. His plaintive cries echoed off the scarred and stained walls of the Shrieking Shack – the building that was filled each month with the howling cries of a young wolf. Now, it was filled with the unbridled sorrow of the friend who had betrayed him.

XXXXXXXX

"Mr. Lupin, may I sit down for a moment?" Dumbledore's rich, deep voice was quiet as he addressed the distraught student. Remus nodded without looking at him and Dumbledore levitated a chair from another bed to a space beside Remus'.

"Son, please look at me," he placed a gentle hand on Remus' arm. It took a moment or two, but the younger wizard eventually turned his head to face him. His eyes were red-rimmed, but his jaw was firmly set. "You have suffered a grave shock today. I understand how such an experience can make one feel as if their world is no longer the place they thought it to be."

"My best friend betrayed me," Remus responded, roughly scrubbing at his face. "My world no longer _is _the place I thought it to be."

"Yes, Mr. Black acted as he so often has – without thinking of the total consequences of his actions. Rarely has this character flaw created a situation such as that we are faced with today," Dumbledore watched the Gryffindor wizard closely as he spoke. "Severus has given his word that he will never speak of what he saw in the tunnel."

"And you believed him?" Remus was incredulous, however he remembered himself and to whom he was speaking. "Sir?"

Dumbledore gave him a small smile. "Given your collective relationship with Severus, your reaction is completely understandable. Let us just say that Severus and I have an understanding that is – well, _mutually _beneficial. Out of respect for him, I will say no more and I know that you will understand. But, the important point in this is the fact that you will _not _be expelled. You will remain at Hogwarts and continue your studies."

Remus' eyes filled again. "Thank you, sir. Forgive me, but you are _certain_ that Snape will not tell anyone about me?"

"I would stake my life on his silence, Remus," he assured him.

"I am curious about something, Remus. I wonder if you might not be willing to answer a question for me," Dumbledore asked after a time. At Remus' nod, he continued. "Did Mr. Black tell you _why_ he told Mr. Snape how to get past the Willow?"

Remus' face hardened again. "He only said that Snape had concocted some sort of wild story about where we went each month and that he was going to come to _you _and, in the end, we would be expelled."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, that was the reason he gave to me, as well. Did he mention the rest?"

Remus looked at the Headmaster curiously and shook his head. "He didn't say that there was anything more to discuss."

"Did you ask or give him any indication that you would be willing to listen?" Dumbledore asked, wisely. Correctly sensing Remus' indignation, he continued. "You were not obligated to do so, Remus. You are completely entitled and justified to feel however you are feeling about this matter. Mr. Black did, indeed, betray your trust and about such a key confidence that you placed in him. I only mention it because I know that Mr. Black had – until last night – been an outstanding friend to you. He accepted you exactly as you are, when so many others simply ran away or, worse, mistreated you."

"Are you suggesting, sir, that I …"

"As I've said, I'm not suggesting that whatever you're feeling is not justified. It most surely is. I am merely saying that you know Mr. Black acts without thinking at certain times; perhaps to gain a greater understanding of last night's events; it might be wise to think about when that behavior most occurs. You cannot deny that Mr. Black considers you one of his best friends, one he would not throw away under normal circumstances. That fact alone would cause _me _to wonder what situation might have presented itself that would make him behave so rashly."

"Sirius hates Snape. Last night was just the sort of circumstance that Sirius would – and did – jump on to taunt Snape. The idea of frightening Snape would amuse Sirius,' Remus protested.

Dumbledore rose. "Oh, I don't know, Remus. I saw Sirius when he came through those doors after speaking with you. He didn't look very amused at all. Remus, I'm not saying that what Sirius did was even remotely appropriate. It wasn't. What I _am _saying is that not everything is as it seems. Before you throw away five years of friendship and loyalty, you may wish to consider what might have motivated him. Not now, of course, but after you've had the time to consider all that has happened. Once you've worked through the emotions you're feeling right now."

Remus shook his head. "I can't imagine feeling anything other than what I feel right now, sir. I will keep in mind what you've said, however."

"That's all I can ask, Remus. Now, I will leave you to rest a bit. I'm certain your other friends will be along soon. Good evening."

"Good evening, Professor," Remus replied. He had never before doubted anything Dumbledore had said to him. That this great wizard had taken a chance on him to assure a young werewolf of an education had earned the man Remus' life-long gratitude - and respect. He couldn't help but think, however, that Albus Dumbledore was singularly wrong in his suggestions about Sirius Black.

With that thought, Remus closed his eyes and laid his head against the pillow. Exhausted in body, mind and spirit, he fell into a troubled sleep.


	40. Shaken

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Language

Chapter 40 – Shaken

"Sirius?"

A soft voice called to him from what seemed to be a great distance. Fuzzily, he noted the surface on which he was lying was hard – too hard to be his bed, or any of the furniture in the Common Room. _Ok, not in Gryffindor tower, then._ He opened his eyes and took in the deeply gouged wall in front of him. _The shack. Snape. Remus._ Memories of the past day came flooding back to him and with them, the indescribable pain that had led him to this place.

"Sirius?"

The voice was back and it was closer now. Ignoring his protesting muscles, Sirius turned over and opened his eyes again. This time, his gaze fell on the open trap door – and the owner of the voice whose head had just appeared beneath it.

"Kate, what are you doing here?" Sirius pushed himself up to sit against the wall and passed his hands over his face.

"Sirius, this is the place, isn't it?" Kate had climbed up through the opening and was sitting on its edge, legs dangling downward, as she looked at the destruction around her. "This is where Remus comes to transform at the full moon." He watched her eyes fill with tears as she realized that it was Remus' wolf that had inflicted all of the damage.

"Yes," he replied, his voice hoarse. "You haven't answered my question. What are you doing here? Wait – how did you get in?"

"I saw you in the castle. You pushed straight past me and ran outside. You looked so upset and I called to you over and over again and you didn't seem to hear me. I decided to follow you," Kate lifted her legs out of the door, stood and walked over to him. "May I sit down?" At his nod, she sat next to him, folding her legs beneath her and leaning back against the wall.

"How did you get past the tree?"

"_Immobilus," _Kate said. Despite the turmoil Sirius felt, he had to smile when he heard her. _Doesn't it just figure that _she'd_ find a spell when we spent hours looking for a stick that was long enough to reach the knot? Wait 'til James hears…_ The smile slipped from his face; James wasn't interested in anything he had to say, that was certain. He felt the warmth of Kate's hand on his and his emotions, very close to the surface anyway, welled up once again "What's wrong?" Kate spoke very softly, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles as she waited for his answer.

"Everything," he whispered. He looked over at her and Kate was stunned to see tears fall from his eyes and land on the front of his robes, making dark splatters in the now dusty fabric. "I've done something stupid, Katie – so bloody stupid that it's cost me my friends."

Kate's eyes grew wide. "Sirius, I'm sure you're wrong; you must have misunderstood something. You can't lose them! You're brothers; you love each other. Come on; let's go back to the castle. I'll help you find James and the two of you can put this mess right." She squeezed his hand and made to stand.

Sirius ripped his hand away from hers and jumped up. "You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know what happened – what I _did _– and I can't tell you! They want nothing to do with me; _Remus_ wants nothing to do with me." He looked around, the room, making note of the damage that had been there since he could remember – and the newly inflicted ruin from the night before. "I have to get out of here." He walked swiftly toward the trap door, heedless of Kate's cries to him to stop, to wait, to talk to her. Much like his trip _to _the shack, Sirius' escape _from _it was made swiftly – but this time in the gathering darkness. As he immobilized the Willow then moved from beneath its branches to the open grounds, Sirius heard Kate calling to him again from the tunnel. He knew that if he waited for her, he would eventually tell her the entire, horrible story and he couldn't face that; couldn't face the look in her eyes when she heard what he'd done. Sirius moved swiftly to the copse of trees adjacent to the Willow. Safely sheltered from view he stood, watching as Kate came through the opening and walked clear of the branches. Sirius watched her walk to the large boulder where the Marauders had so often hidden from Madam Pomfrey as she made her way to the tunnel to fetch a very young Remus. He retreated further into the shelter of the trees when Kate peered in his direction and took a hesitant step toward them. Sirius waited for what seemed like an hour before daring to step out and look around. When he did, he saw Kate's retreating form as she ran back to the castle. Relieved, Sirius walked out of the shadow and stopped at the boulder. There, he sank to the soft, mossy earth, his back against the rock and waited. When the lights in the castle no longer blazed brightly, he would make his way back to the tower, and his bed and try to figure out how he was going to make it through the rest of his time at Hogwarts without the boys who had become his family.

XXXXXXXX

Kate walked into the hospital wing and was relieved when Madam Pomfrey immediately agreed that she could spend some time with her only patient. "He's been a bit down this afternoon, Miss Morgan; perhaps you can do something to cheer him up." She paused and glanced over at the boy. "See if you can get him to eat dinner, would you? He's not doing a very good job for _me_." Kate smiled and nodded, closing the door softly behind the healer who was now on her way to enjoy her _own_ dinner.

Remus didn't spot Kate until she was halfway across the room; the smile he gave her was a sad one. "Don't look like that, Katie. This is just _your _first moon, after all. I've looked far worse than this, believe me."

Kate reached his bed, leaned down and kissed his cheek gently. "I think you're very handsome," she said as she sat on the edge of the wooden chair beside him.

Remus gave her a dubious look. "Best looking werewolf you know, right?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'one of the best-looking _wizards_ I know'," she amended, gesturing at his dinner tray. "You'll be the thinnest wizard I know, however, if you don't start eating your dinner. Must I stay and see that you do?"

Remus sighed. "I'm doing my best, Kate, but I don't have much of an appetite at the moment."

"I'm willing to wager that it has little to do with your transformation and perhaps more to do with Sirius," Kate watched to see what effect her comment might have on him. It was significant.

Remus' face closed and his eyes took on a slightly amber hue – proof that the wolf had only recently retreated. He lifted his dinner tray from his lap and set it down on his nightstand with slightly more force than was necessary, making Kate jump. Seeing the motion out of the corner of his eye and noting the subsequent look of uncertainty on her face, Remus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached over and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry, Kate; I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm just not prepared to talk about Sirius at the moment."

"Then let me talk and you can listen," Kate said, giving his hand a squeeze. "I've just left him. Remus, I found him curled up on the floor of the shack, completely not himself and spouting nonsense. When I tried to reason with him, he ran away from me, crying as if his heart would break. I think it has broken, actually. He told me that he'd done something stupid and had lost his friends as a result and …"

"He told _you _how to get into the shack, too?" Remus' voice rose in anger.

"What? No – wait, what do you mean, 'too'? Did Sirius…? Oh, _Remus_, he _didn't_ – he didn't tell someone how to get past the Willow, did he?"

"If he didn't tell you, how did you manage it?" Remus challenged, ignoring the questions she'd asked.

"That seems to be the question of the moment," she said, rolling her eyes. "I cast _Immobilus_, ok? Sirius asked me the same question when I got there. Look, Remus – I've answered _your_ question; you can jolly well answer _mine_. And you can be as ill tempered in your delivery as you'd like. I just want the answer. Now, whom did Sirius tell about getting past the Willow?"

"Dumbledore has agreed to keep this quiet. No one can know, Kate," Remus said softly.

"_Dumbledore _is involved in whatever this is? _Merlin! _Remus, _please_, you've entrusted me with the secret of your condition and I have not betrayed you; surely, you can trust me with this," Kate implored him.

Remus searched her face for several moments and must have seen what he was looking for. "It was Snape. Sirius told Severus Snape how to get past the Willow," Remus' said, his tone bitter.

Kate felt as if she'd taken a bludger to the stomach. "_Severus?_ But, Remus – _why_?"

"According to Sirius, Severus had seen us leaving the grounds several times – me first, with Sirius, Peter and James following behind. Severus was certain he knew what we were up to and told Sirius that it was enough to get us all expelled. Sirius said that he told Severus how to get past the Willow so that he could see how wrong he was."

Kate felt a cold chill settle over her. "What happened?"

"Severus followed Sirius' instructions and got into the tunnel and managed to open the trap door. I'd just finished transforming and, thankfully, the wolf isn't at its most coordinated at that point. It inadvertently slammed the door down, hitting Severus in the head and knocking him unconscious. I'm sure it meant to pull him up through the opening and …" Remus laid his head back onto the pillow, his eyes closed.

"Remus, don't," Kate said, taking his hand once again. "It didn't happen, after all." She held his hand tightly between both of hers, waiting for him to continue. Eventually, she felt him return the pressure on her fingers and he opened his eyes.

"James and Peter had run into Sirius and he told them what he'd done. They got to the tunnel and pulled Severus out and brought him back to the castle," Remus finished. "Dumbledore told me that Severus is fine – and, for whatever reason, he has given Dumbledore his word that he would not divulge my condition, which means I can stay at Hogwarts."

It was Kate's turn to pale. "Oh, Remus; I hadn't even thought of that. Thank _Merlin_; it would have been unbearable if you'd had to leave."

Remus squeezed her hand and gave her an honest, if very small smile. "Indeed. I have to trust that Dumbledore's right and Severus will hold his tongue."

The two friends sat in silence for a few moments.

"James has been to see you, if you know what happened," Kate guessed, surprised when Remus shook his head.

"No, actually, it was Sirius, himself, who told me what had happened; what he'd done. It was part of his _punishment_ from Dumbledore," Remus' voice was hollow.

"He thinks he's lost all of you," Kate said.

Remus looked at her coldly. "I can only speak for myself when I say that he isn't wrong."

"I never thought I'd ever hear you speak this way," Kate said sadly.

Remus raised one eyebrow. "I never expected my best friend to betray me as he's done, Kate. And _you_ can't expect me to forgive him for it. James and Peter can do as they like. I trusted Sirius, Kate; I _trusted_ him. And he betrayed me to Severus _Snape_."

"It's just incredible," Kate shook her head. "Sirius has so many issues with trust, himself; it's hard to believe that he would intentionally betray you or put you in danger."

"Sirius is impetuous, Kate; he doesn't _think_ – he _reacts_. That's what makes him so dangerous. His actions are based on his perceptions – which change from moment to moment. Something Severus said or did piqued Sirius' anger and hatred and he desired only to act on those emotions and strike out. How many times have we seen him behave recklessly as a result of his temper? When that happens, he's unpredictable and last night, that unpredictability led him to endanger a life – with _me_ as the weapon," Remus was starting to sound tired – and more than a little sad. "He used me, Kate. I was the means to an end. That's not friendship."

"No," Kate was forced to admit. "But, it's also not _Sirius_. He doesn't use his friends."

"Well, he'll never have the chance to use me again, I can promise you that."

"Remus," Kate said quietly. "That's it, then? Your friendship is truly over?"

Remus drew a shuddering breath then brushed his eyes roughly with one hand. "Friends don't do what Sirius did last night. And, Katie, I can't afford to _have_ friends who _would_ do something like that. You _must _understand."

"I do, Remus; I really do," Kate assured him. "It's just that I've never seen him like that; he was so lost."

"I'm sure that what Sirius is reacting to are the consequences of his actions, Kate. He's lost something, Kate – and Sirius Black _hates _to lose."

"That's terribly cold, Remus," Kate said, saddened by his tone and his demeanor.

"So is selling out your friend for the satisfaction of terrifying an enemy," Remus replied at once. He sighed. "Katie, we're just going 'round in circles and I'm tired. Could you excuse me? I'd like to get some rest."

"Of course," Kate stood and attempted to tug her hand from his grip, which tightened as she did so.

"You and I are still friends, right? No matter what?" Remus' voice was tired and small and Kate's heart clenched as she heard the questions.

She returned the pressure on his hand and leaned down to rest her cheek against his. "No matter what," she whispered then turned her face to kiss his cheek before straightening again. "I promise." Kate smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "Good night, Remus." But there was no answer; he was already asleep.

XXXXXXXX

"Miss Bullstrode, I have asked you here because I have a very sensitive matter to discuss with you," Dumbledore began, seating himself next to the young witch.

Ofelia attempted to quell her nerves, but they had been threatening to get the better of her since Professor Slughorn had come to tell her that the Headmaster wished to see her. "Of course, Professor. Please, go on."

"I must begin by asking for your complete discretion and confidence in this matter and, in return, I will extend both to you. No one must know what we discuss in this room. Are we clear?"

Ofelia nodded.

"Last night, a piece of information was presented to me that could potentially impact the future of a particular student in our school. As Headmaster, it is my duty to investigate such matters, which is why you are here this evening." Dumbledore paused, noticing how pale the girl had become. "Are you quite alright, my dear?"

Ofelia folded her hands in her lap in an effort to master their trembling. "Yes, sir. Please tell me what this is all about."

"It is my understanding that you are friendly with a young witch in your House named Isolde Dolohov, is that correct?"

_Oh, gods._ "Yes, Headmaster, although I suspect Isolde considers us to be closer friends than we are."

"As sometimes happens. I will not beat about the bush, as they say; Miss Dolohov seems to believe that you are pregnant, the fact of which she claims to have seen. Miss Bullstrode, is this true?" Dumbledore placed his hand on Ofelia's arm to calm her, for she had begun to tremble at the first mention of Isolde's name. "I assure you, you are in no trouble with me."

Ofelia lifted her face to look at Dumbledore; tears were streaming down her cheeks and she seemed incapable of speech. "It's alright, my dear. Here, take mine," he pulled a rather large lavender handkerchief from the pockets of his robes and she accepted it gratefully. Once she had brought herself under some control, Ofelia leaned toward him and spoke quietly, "Yes, Professor; it _is_ true. I have been using a concealment charm during the day."

"Does anyone know of your condition?"

"Lily Evans, Kate Morgan and Sirius Black," Ofelia said. "And now, of course, Isolde." Ofelia looked at Dumbledore curiously. "When did she come to you, if I may ask?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I have not spoken to Miss Dolohov," he told her. "I learned of this in connection with another matter. Miss Dolohov confided to another friend – one you both share – and it is from him that I learned of your condition."

"Severus Snape." Ofelia closed her eyes. "It could be no one else."

"Yes, it was Severus."

"Headmaster, please know that I have not told my parents, nor anyone else in my family. Arturo does not even know of this child. I have plans to tell everyone, but not until after the school year ends. I beg of you, please do not tell anyone of this; please convince Severus that he cannot share this news with anyone, either," Ofelia felt the tenuous hold she had on her emotions begin to slip.

"Be calm, Miss Bullstrode; Severus will say nothing, he has given me his word. And, as you'll recall, I gave you my promise when we first began speaking this evening. I will also speak with Miss Dolohov. Your secret is safe, I assure you," Dumbledore soothed. "There is one other piece of information that Severus shared with me – that of the paternity of your child. He told me that Sirius Black is the father."

Ofelia's eyes grew quite large and, to Dumbledore's amazement, she began to laugh –genuine peals of laughter. "Oh, Headmaster, I cannot imagine where Severus got this idea, but he is quite wrong," she managed, after she had calmed herself.

"I suspected as much," came the reply. "I must ask you, though, is the father a student here at Hogwarts?"

"No. The father is a student at university in London. His family lives on a property adjacent to my old school in France. I became pregnant before my transfer to Hogwarts, but did not find out for certain of my condition until after the holiday break. Sirius and his friends have been most kind to me. They helped arrange a meeting between Michael – the father – and me during a Hogsmeade weekend and they make sure they're available if Michael can't meet me for an appointment with my Healer. I could not ask for better friends, particularly Sirius. You were right, Headmaster, I may have lost a fiancé, but I have gained a wonderful friend," Ofelia said.

"I am so pleased that you have had the support of your friends in Gryffindor," the Headmaster said with a smile.

"Sir, I may truly continue with my plans as before? You will not alter them or go to my parents about this?"

"Miss Bullstrode, as Headmaster, I suppose I should step in and do the responsible thing – tell your parents. I'll let you in on a little secret, though: I do not think it would be responsible to disrupt a plan that seems to be so well structured. You are receiving care from a qualified Healer and you and your young man have plans to disclose your news to your families in due course of time. I think it would be most _irresponsible_ of me to interfere." He smiled as he watched Ofelia exhale in relief. "That said, however, I must insist that Poppy Pomfrey be told of your condition as soon as possible so that she is prepared should immediate medical attention be needed. She is the soul of discretion and cannot divulge students' conditions to anyone without their – or my – written permission. If you are agreeable, I would be happy to tell her; of course, you may also choose to do so."

Ofelia shook her head. "No, Headmaster; you may tell her – and thank you. I appreciate your discretion and your help."

"It's getting late and you need your rest. I think we're finished here. Would you like me to call someone to escort you back to your Common Room?"

"No, thank you, sir. I will be fine," she responded, rising.

Dumbledore walked Ofelia to the door. "Good night, my dear," he said.

To his great surprise, Ofelia stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Good night, Professor – and thank you once again."

"Not at all," he replied, eyes twinkling as he closed the door behind her.

XXXXXXXX

Ofelia moved lightly through the corridors of the castle on her way back to the Slytherin Common Room. A week ago, the thought of Albus Dumbledore – or anyone else – discovering her secret would have caused panic; now Ofelia was forced to admit that it was a relief that he knew – and more of a relief that he had no intention of telling anyone else.

_Isolde_. Ofelia thought back to the morning she had awakened to find the girl peering through her bed hangings. She remembered the uneasy feeling she'd had at the time and realized that it was well founded. Although she wished strongly to _Obliviate _Isolde when next she saw her, Ofelia knew that she could not, in all good conscience, do so. She would leave the young witch to Albus Dumbledore, who would undoubtedly manage the situation without risk to anyone involved.

As she crossed the entrance to her own Common Room, Ofelia wondered if Severus Snape would approach her to discuss what he _thought _he knew. Ofelia knew that if he did, she would have to handle the matter with great discretion. It would not do to antagonize the Slytherin wizard when he had access to so many of their peers who, with knowledge of her secret, could make her life very miserable indeed. _I will need to give a great deal of thought to my conversation with Severus_.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius sat against the boulder, shivering in the dark and the early spring chill as he waited for curfew to arrive. Once students were safely in their Common Rooms, Sirius could wend his way back to the Tower and slip into the sanctuary of his own bed without risk of running into too many people. He needed to _think_. Silently, he waited, watching as one by one, the windows of the castle proper grew dim. Eventually, only the windows in the three House towers reflected light and Sirius knew it was time to head back. There was a minimal amount of time left before the heavy oak doors of the school would be locked, bolted and warded for the night. He fixed his eyes on Gryffindor Tower and followed the path to the front door. Once there, Sirius took a deep breath and slipped quietly inside the castle.

Sirius made his way up the ancient stone staircase that led from the main entryway to the various floors of the school. Although his honest intention was to go directly to his dormitory, Sirius suddenly found himself turning down the corridor that led to the hospital wing. The desire to check in on Remus was overwhelming and almost before he knew it, Sirius was standing before the double doors that would lead to him.

"Mr. Black," the soft voice of the Headmaster reached his ears. Sirius turned to see Dumbledore seated upon the same bench he'd occupied when Sirius had arrived to see Remus earlier in the day. "I thought perhaps you might find your way back here."

"Have you been sitting there waiting since …" Sirius' voice trailed off as Dumbledore rose, a gentle smile on his face.

"No, Mr. Black; let's just say that I had a hunch I'd find you here. It's late, after all – past curfew, actually. You should be in your own Tower, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "I just needed to see that he was – ok. Our conversation didn't go very well, as you can imagine."

Dumbledore nodded. "I got that impression from you when you left him earlier. I believe Mr. Lupin is asleep, as you should be."

"Sir, could I just look in on him? I promise I won't stay long; I just…"

"…need to see for yourself?" Dumbledore finished. "Very well, you may look in on Mr. Lupin, but then you must go directly to your Tower, understood? Shall I wait for you?"

Sirius shook his head, "No, Professor. I won't stay long."

"I shall speak to the Prefects who may be patrolling the corridors and let them know that you have my permission to be here for a few minutes. When you leave, you should not fear a deduction of House points for being out after curfew."

"Thank you, Professor. The last thing Gryffindor needs is to lose more points thanks to me."

"Good night, Mr. Black," Dumbledore patted his shoulder and walked down the corridor toward the staircase.

Sirius silently entered the hospital wing. As before, Remus was the only patient. The ward was dimly lit and Remus' back was to the room; he was, apparently, asleep. Sirius just stood against the door for a few moments, grateful for the warmth of the room and debating whether to walk closer to Remus or to simply head back to his own bed.

"I know you're there," Remus' hoarse voice cut through the silence. _That uncanny nose of his,_ Sirius thought. _The wolf possessed a powerful sense of smell that revealed so many secrets to Remus that the rest of the world was not privy to. So, not asleep after all._

"I was just checking to make sure you're alright," he replied, honestly.

"A little late in the day to worry about whether or not I'm alright, isn't it? It would have been far more effective if you'd been thinking of me _before_ you sent Snape to the tunnel, wouldn't it?" Remus turned over to face the other boy.

"I'm so sorry, Remus," Sirius felt his eyes fill again. "I'm just … so sorry."

Remus looked at him coldly, then turned away again. "It's a little late in the day for _that_, too."

Sirius turned and left; he didn't bother to try to check the tears that were once again streaming down his face. He made it to the portrait of the Fat Lady in record time, encountering no one on his way. Climbing through the entrance to the Common Room, he went directly to the staircase, and up to the dormitory, looking neither left nor right and taking notice of nothing but the stone steps beneath his feet. Once inside the dorm room, he climbed onto his bed, closed the curtains and cast both _silencing _and _imperturbable _charms. Stripping down to his boxers, he tossed his clothing to the foot of his bed and climbed beneath the warm covers. There he lay, waiting for sleep to claim him, to release him from the thoughts that had tortured him since he'd first seen Remus and listened to the harsh words that had poured from the other boy. But sleep did not come easily and Sirius' eyelids did not close until the faint first light of dawn crept into the dormitory.

XXXXXXXX

"Alright, James, are you going to tell me what's going on here or am I going to have to hex it out of you?" Lily Evans had two bright red spots on her cheeks that rivaled the color of her hair. It was Sunday morning and James, Peter, Lily and Kate were seated in their usual places in the Great Hall for breakfast. As they ate, Sirius slipped in, took a napkin from a place at the opposite end of the table in which he placed several sausages, strips of bacon and some toast. As they watched, he wrapped the food carefully, reached past Frank Longbottom for an orange then turned and left the Hall. His entire appearance had taken less than two minutes.

"Leave it, Lily," James said quietly.

"Well, I _can't_ 'leave it'," Kate said, rising and quickly heading in the direction Sirius had taken. The others watched her until she disappeared through the doors. As he brought his attention back to his breakfast, James' eyes met those of Severus Snape, seated with his own House. James refused to look away and finally, Snape looked back at his own plate.

Lily caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Ah; the penny finally drops. Whatever is going on has to do with this ridiculous feud between the four of you and Severus, doesn't it? When are you all going to grow _up_?"

James ground his teeth together audibly. "Lily, I asked you to let it go and I wasn't kidding." He pushed his plate away and stood. "I've lost my appetite." And with that, he was gone, Lily staring speechless after him.

Slowly, Lily turned toward Peter, the last of their group left at the table. "Peter," she said quietly. "What do you know about all this?"

Pettigrew blinked rapidly several times, fear written plainly on his face. As much as the redhead scared him sometimes, seeing how swiftly Sirius could be cut from their midst made Peter braver than usual. He sat up quite straight, looked Lily in the eye and said – with only a slight tremble in his voice – "You heard James, Lily, and you're not getting it out of me, either." Peter put his head down and attacked his toast. When he dared to look back up, Lily, too, was gone.

XXXXXXXX

Kate reached the entrance hall of the castle in time to see the front doors close. She hurried toward them and slipped outside as well, anxious to catch up with Sirius and convince him to talk to her for longer than he had the day before. Kate shaded her eyes from the sun and scanned the grounds for the young wizard and was rewarded with a brief glimpse of black hair disappearing over the hill leading to the Black Lake. She followed, cresting the hill moments later and locating her quarry making quick headway toward the flat boulder at the edge of the lake. Kate let him settle before continuing down the path toward him, trying to walk as quietly as possible. It worked; he never heard her until she spoke.

"Did you bring enough for two?" Sirius jumped at the sound of her voice, then turned to see her standing directly behind him. She was gesturing at the napkin of food he'd set beside him.

"Katie, I wasn't looking for company," Sirius said quietly, picking up the bundle so she could sit.

_You're not Gryffindor for nothing_, Kate told herself. _Stay the course._ She reached over and plucked a toast point from his lap. "Perhaps not, but I _was_ looking for toast. Thank you," she said, smiling at him.

Sirius picked up the napkin by the four corners and extended it toward her. "Here, you can have this. I'm not hungry, after all," he said. When Kate didn't accept the food, he rose and placed it next to her. "I'll see you."

Kate threw the toast on the ground and caught up with him, hooking her hand in the crook of his arm. "Sirius, _please_ talk to me. I don't understand what I've done that's making you behave this way, but I can't make it right if you won't let me even try."

Sirius tried to shake free, but Kate tightened her grip. "Kate, _stop_! Let _go_ of me."

Kate shook her head. "No. If I do, you'll run and I can't chance it. We promised each other we wouldn't _do_ this. We said we'd talk. Were you lying to me then? Was everything we've just been through a pointless waste of time? Because, Sirius, if you're going to revert to form the first time something goes wrong, I don't see why we suffered so much for this relationship in the first place."

"You don't have a bloody clue what's going on, Kate," he began, putting his head down. "Not one bloody clue."

"That's where you're wrong, Sirius. I _do _know what's happened; what I don't know is _why_. I _need_ you to tell me," Kate's voice reflected her quiet desperation and, as she watched, Sirius raised his head and, stunned, met her gaze.

"_How_ do you know?" he whispered.

"I spoke with Remus last evening. After you ran away from me at the shack, I went to the hospital wing to check on him – and to see if he would tell me what _you _wouldn't," she explained, still not relinquishing her hold on his arm.

"I'm sure he was happy to tell you about my latest fuck-up," Sirius said, bitterly, giving another half-hearted tug on his arm.

Kate tightened her grip once again. "'_Happy_'? No, Sirius, Remus wasn't _'happy' _at all. I think it's safe to say that there was no happiness in the room when we spoke. He did, however, tell me what you did. He said that Snape had something on the four of you and had threatened to get you expelled?"

Sirius nodded. "So I figured that I knew how to stop him – how to shut him up. I said to myself, 'Hey, let's send the big fuckin' git down to the Shrieking Shack and save the wolf the trouble of having to hunt for his dinner. What a _brilliant_ fuckin' plan!" Is that what he told you?"

Kate unconsciously loosened her grip on his arm, but Sirius didn't move; he stood there, watching her face, waiting for her to speak.

A look of horror crossed Kate's face. "You actually _meant_ for Snape to be killed? You truly set Remus up to be a _murderer_? I never would have thought that _you_, of all people would …"

"Would _what_, Katie? Take advantage of a friend to get rid of one of _my _problems? I don't see how you could think me so noble. Have you forgotten Delilah? Ofelia? All the planning and scheming I did to make a marriage contract go away? Surely, Remus was able to remind you of all of those things; surely, he convinced you that I'm nothing more than a product of _years _of Black family history. Loyal to no one but myself, I was just living a lie – pretending to be someone I wasn't – until just the right moment arrived for me to show my true color … _Black_." He stopped, feeling his throat begin to constrict. Swallowing hard, he took a moment then continued, "Have I got it all right, Katie? Did I leave anything out? See, I met with Remus, too and I know _exactly_ what he thinks of me. He didn't mince words – not a bit of it. So, if he didn't mince them with _me_, I can't believe he'd have spared _you_ the full diatribe. And if you've spent any time with James or Peter, I'm sure they can corroborate everything Remus said. See, they're not too happy with me, either. James doesn't want me as a friend anymore, either and Peter – well, Peter will go along with whatever James says. You know what James says about _me_, Katie? I'll tell you; James said …"

"_Stop it!_" Kate let go of Sirius and took a step backward. "I can't believe this – _any_ of it!" She began to cry, one hand coming up to cover her mouth.

Sirius took a step forward. "Well, maybe you were like everyone else – Remus, James, even poor, pathetic, tag-along Peter – you only saw what you wanted to see. Even when I gave you all that proof after Christmas, you still didn't see me for who and what I obviously am. Once a Black, always a Black, Kate. What happened the other night is _exactly_ what my family is known for. Not pretty, is it? So, run along back up to the castle where you don't have to see me or have anything at all to do with me. You'll be in good company. I only wish I could do the same." He felt a hot prickle begin behind his eyes and knew he was at the end of his control. She _had_ to leave. "Go _on_!"

Kate looked at him for a moment longer, shoulders shaking then she turned and ran back the way she had come.

Sirius stood, chest heaving, and watched her go. All day yesterday – in all of the conversations with James, Remus, Dumbledore – the underlying question they all held for him was, 'why'. Last night, reliving the day, Sirius had finally found the answer – and it had shaken him to his very core.

"_You insufferable bastard!" _

"_Were you just pretending to be my friend?"_

"_Mr. Lupin has sustained quite extensive injuries …"_

"_You used me!"_

"_You betrayed me!" _

"_I trusted you!"_

"_You kept my secret until it no longer suited you; until it served you better to reveal it."_

The latticework of fresh, pink scars crossing Remus' graceful hands, his throat had reminded Sirius then of the mirror images that existed on his own back – put there by the hatred that lived within his own mother. The image drove him bolt upright in his bed. _My hatred of Snape put those scars on Remus' body just as my mother's hatred of me gave me mine. I _am _just like her; I _am_ just like _all_ of them. Push me hard enough and my hatred will trigger my true nature. I'm reckless and selfish and now, finally, I've hurt someone I care about. _

Sirius remembered how the hot tears had begun anew as his fevered brain raced to process these new thoughts – and his heart lost the strength to fight those traitorous ideas as nothing more than what they were: the byproduct of a tortured conscience and horrible guilt. There, in the dim pre-dawn hours, Sirius convinced himself that they were right to reject him; he wasn't worthy of them. No Black was. And he _was_ a Black. He wouldn't embrace his family's beliefs and he couldn't change how he felt about them, but he wouldn't ever do this to anyone else. He'd manage. He'd get through the next couple of years at Hogwarts – but he'd do it alone. Sirius suddenly remembered something Kate had said to him not so very long ago. If he allowed himself to be governed by hatred, he would be no better than the family he despised.

How right she had been.

If only he'd listened.

Ripping himself from his memories, Sirius closed his eyes and focused. He felt the tingle of magic surround him, permeate him as his body reformed. Soon, a great black dog was bounding through the scattered brush, heading toward the Forbidden Forest and the cool tranquility that awaited it there. In his Animagus form, Sirius didn't _feel _the myriad of complicated emotions; couldn't _think _as he could in his human form. He could turn it all off and simply _be. _As his huge paws carried him into the cool shadows of the forest, Sirius, the wizard, surrendered to the simplicity of Padfoot and, for the first time in twenty-four hours, felt his pain slip away.


	41. The New Normal

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Language

Chapter 41 – The New Normal

No detail was ever offered and the normally wagging tongues of the school's gossip-mongers soon exhausted any likely explanation, but in very little time, the school soon realized that the Marauders were no more. The essence of the four young wizards who had wreaked havoc with their mischievous plots, made the hallways ring with laughter at their antics, and who had set the standard for loyal and abiding friendship had seemingly disappeared overnight.

James, Remus and Peter remained close, but there was an air about them that suggested a forced re-forging of something that had been elemental – _natural,_ into something that was now just a bit _off_. While they occupied their old places in the Common Room – Kate and Lily rounding out the group more often than not – anyone who observed them could clearly tell that the spark and the joy were now missing.

Sirius attended every scheduled class, slipping in just before the bell rang and out again immediately upon dismissal. He sat well away from the other five and generally occupied a seat in the back of the room, much more conducive to his desired arrival and departure schedule. He took his meals in the Great Hall, but sat at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table. He arrived at the start of each meal, applied himself to his food and left when his plate was clean. Without Quidditch to keep himself fit, Sirius began to run, going on long, solitary jaunts along the grounds of the castle, or moving in swift, graceful laps around the Pitch before classes began each day. Since that final confrontation with Kate on the shore of the Black Lake, not a word had been exchanged between the former friends.

O.W.L.s were scheduled for the third week in May and all 5th year students studied feverishly in preparation. When the examination week rolled around, Sirius sat in the back of each classroom, finished his test well ahead of the others and thus was allowed to leave. It was after the Potions practical that James and Remus returned to the dormitory to find Sirius' corner of their shared room spotless, his trunk and all other possessions so casually displayed before 'the Prank', as it had come to be called – gone.

Remus inclined his head toward James' bed on which was piled a dark grey jumper, neatly folded, a Quidditch rulebook and a racing broom maintenance kit. James recognized these items as those he had lent to Sirius at the beginning of the year. Remus wandered over to his own bed to find two books by Charles Dickens resting on his pillow. During Sirius' 'let's learn about Muggle literature' phase, he had borrowed both books from Remus; to the werewolf's knowledge, however, he hadn't finished either of them. He had driven Remus round the twist for the first two weeks, asking all sorts of questions about the various plot lines and suggesting alternatives that would have alleviated the despondency of some of the characters' lives. In Oliver Twist, for example, after reading Oliver's plaintive line, "Please sir, may I have some more?" Sirius snorted and commented, "They'd make a better job of feeding the little blighters if they put the ruddy pot on the table! Moony, this Dickens bloke's got no bloody common sense at all!" Remus smiled as he remembered Sirius applying his rather matter of fact sensibility to one of literature's classic novels.

"Where d'you suppose he's gone, then?" James' voice came from behind Remus.

The other boy shrugged. "No idea and we can't really ask him, can we?"

James turned and went back to his bed, fingers running over the soft wool of the folded jumper still lying there. _No, we've shut the door on any conversation with him, haven't we?_

For his part, Sirius couldn't stand being in the room where he had shared so much with these friends, these brothers who were his no longer. Telling no one what he was about, he had completed his Potions O.W.L. well in advance of the scheduled conclusion, gathered his things from his room and moved into the Room of Requirement. To his knowledge, the room was a mystery – a virtual unknown entity to the majority of the population of Hogwarts. Sirius figured that the staff might know about it, Dumbledore definitely would and if he was caught out and not allowed to remain, he would request another room assignment. It was wrenching, however, to open the door to his new room and find it a duplication of the one he had just left behind. Sirius moved resolutely forward, however, reminding himself that the physical appearance didn't matter. He just couldn't be in the same room with Remus, James and Peter any longer. It just hurt too bloody much.

And then, of course, there was Kate. Sometimes, Sirius couldn't believe that they had gone through so much to be together - only to now be so decidedly apart. But who could have foreseen the splintering of the Marauders, the virtual shunning of one of their members? Sirius swiped at his eyes roughly with one hand as he removed his trunk from his pocket, set it on the floor of his new living quarters and muttered the spell that would restore it to its normal size. Intending to unpack, he instead sat down heavily on the top of the heavy trunk, completely unable to expunge Kate's image from his mind. He missed her – a phrase that sounded so simple but encompassed every facet of his life. He missed her smile in the morning as they walked to breakfast, the feel of her fingers absently playing with his hair as he sat on the floor, propped up by the couch on which she was seated, reading. Snapshots of normal moments scattered throughout normal days – so hard won, so cherished and nurtured and now, so much in the past.

Sirius swallowed hard, took a deep breath and stood. It was time to unpack and head to dinner.

XXXXXXXX

"There he is," Lily murmured as Sirius entered the Great Hall and made his way to the end of the Gryffindor table. He never glanced in their direction as he sat down and began spooning fish chowder into his bowl.

"He looks tired," the redhead continued, now looking at Kate, who sat directly across from her. Still, there was no response.

"Fine." Before anyone knew what she was going to do, Lily stood and walked the length of the table to where Sirius was seated.

"May I sit down?"

Sirius started when he heard her voice; he had been lost in thought as he ate and had not heard footsteps approaching. "I'd rather you didn't," he replied. "I can't see where we have anything to talk about."

Lily shrugged and sat. "Listen, I have no clue what has happened. James won't tell me, shockingly enough – even when I threatened to hex him; and even Peter, who's afraid of just about everyone, has told me that he's not going to share. Now, I hear you've even moved out of their dormitory. There are a lot of very unhappy people at your former end of the table and, from the looks of things, one very unhappy person down here. I hate to see so many people so unhappy – especially when they're people I care about. Can't we all get together and hash this thing out? If you object to me being there, I can set it up for the four of you and then leave…"

Sirius looked at her and Lily's breath caught at the pain she saw reflected in his blue eyes. "We're not friends anymore and I've been given that news first-hand, ok? Don't think I'm interpreting anything the wrong way, because I'm not. Look, Evans, I'm the one who made everybody – including myself – so unhappy. So, I've decided to just do the one thing that looks like it will satisfy everyone: stay away." He pushed his bowl away and made to stand, but Lily put her hand on his to stop him.

"What about Kate? Because I room with her and she is as miserable as I've ever seen her. If you and the other three are having some sort of feud and can't work it out, that's one thing. But, Sirius, what about _her_?"

Sirius shook his head. "Kate finally saw me for who and what I am, Lily. She didn't like what she saw – and I can't blame her for it. I have to go," he stared at her hand until she removed it after which he stood and made his way out of the Hall.

Lily sat and watched him go before rising and rejoining her friends.

"What did he say?" James asked as Lily slid in beside him.

Lily glanced 'round at the faced turned in her direction. "I asked him if there was anything that could be done to put this right – particularly as I now knew that he'd moved out of your dormitory. I suggested putting the four of you in a room to hash it all out so you would all stop being so unhappy. And _he _said that you all had told him that you didn't want him as a friend any longer and that he was responsible for that. Now, he was just looking to make everyone happy and he thought that staying away would be the right road."

James' face turned red and he stared down at his plate, while Remus closed his Charms text slowly, staring at the cover for several minutes without saying anything. Finally, he spoke, "We're going to be late for Charms; we should go."

"Wait; that's _it_?" Lily was incredulous. "Look, whatever has happened between you – and I _think _it's about time _someone _let me in on the big secret – one of you has to be big enough to step up and put some effort into putting this right! We're going to be leaving for the summer in a few weeks and it's _not _going to resolve itself while you're away from school."

The others stood silently during Lily's lecture then Remus spoke. "James, will you please tell Flitwick I had a headache and Lily has taken me to the hospital wing?" James nodded blankly. "Come on, Lily, we're both at least a half dozen lessons ahead of schedule in Charms. Let's take a walk, shall we?"

"Remus," James began, voice uncertain.

"It's my story to tell, isn't it James?" the young werewolf replied. "Lily's right; it's time we were honest and told her what happened. I'm the logical one to '_step up_'. You go on ahead. We'll meet you at lunch. Come on, Lily – take a walk on the wild side, as they say and cut a class for once in your life."

Lily stood, undecided for only a moment then nodded. "Let's go."

XXXXXXXX

Of the relatively small number of people with whom Remus had shared his secret, only the Marauders – and Kate – had surprised him with their reactions. And really, given the fact that Sirius, James and Peter had sussed it out on their own, their reaction didn't count. Lily, however – and as always – was unique.

They were seated on a low stone wall overlooking Hagrid's hut. As Remus spoke, Lily listened intently, saying nothing. When he had finished disclosing the nature of his condition, she moved closer to him on the wall – and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Remus protested, rubbing the offended spot. "What was _that _for?"

"Remus John Lupin, I figured it out three years ago! I've been waiting for you to tell me, you big _git_! What did you think I would do – run screaming from the room, tearing at my hair?" Lily raised one eyebrow at him, face flushed and tone indignant. "Do you think I love you so little that I would do that?"

Remus felt his throat catch and he leaned over and pulled Lily into a hug. "I'm sorry, Lils; truly sorry."

Lily relented and hugged him back. "I worried that it was because I was Muggle-born and you thought I wouldn't understand."

Remus drew back and looked at her in surprise. "Lily, that never entered my head. But I'll wager that having figured it out three years ago, you've probably done enough research that you _understand _only slightly less thoroughly than _I_ do."

She chuckled. "Ok, ok; maybe I _did _spend a little time in the library. I'm assuming the boys know; does Kate?"

Remus nodded, "Just," he said, releasing her and dropping to sit on the grass below the wall. Lily joined him and the two sat quietly for a while.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with what's happened with Sirius," Lily guessed, picking a pink clover from the patch next to her and playing with the flower absently.

"Right in one," Remus said quietly and proceeded to tell Lily what had happened at the last full moon. Like he had with Kate, he left out any mention of the 'pack'; it was not his secret alone and he would not divulge it to anyone.

Lily's expression was, in turn, stunned, horrified, furious and, finally, sad. It took her a long time to speak after Remus had finished his tale, but finally she broke the silence. "What a bloody _mess_ this is!"

Remus nodded. "It is, indeed."

Lily looked down at the now-mangled flower clutched in her fist. "It feels like there's something missing, though. I agree with Kate's assessment; Sirius is nothing if not loyal. This behavior isn't like him at all." She tossed the clover to one side and grabbed another, picking at the blossom as she looked thoughtfully into the distance.

Remus sighed. "Perhaps it's more a question of where Sirius' loyalties actually lie, Lils. No one doubts his capacity for fidelity, but perhaps he's just being faithful to his heritage – to the way he was raised. Maybe it's been there all along and we just haven't seen it."

He felt something glance off his cheek and land in his lap. It was the little clover; Lily had chucked it at him and was now staring him down with a look of irritation on her normally lovely face.

"_Bollocks_!" she bit out. "You don't really believe that tripe, do you? When he spoke to me this morning, he didn't say he didn't want to associate with _you _any longer. Sirius said that you all had told him you didn't want to be _his _friend. Doesn't it stand to reason that if he really bought into everything he was told at home – and had this sudden epiphany that the past 5 years had been against his nature – that he would have run _you _off?"

Remus closed his eyes. "What do you think he did when he betrayed me to Snape, Lily? He had to know that this would be the end result."

"So, rather than just tell you to your face that he suddenly realized Pureblood mania was his calling, he'd plan this elaborate way to _show _you?" Lily shook her head. "I'm not buying it, Remus. Sirius never plans anything other than pranks. He reacts to things; he doesn't think things through. That's patterned behavior for Sirius."

Remus stood, extending his hand to Lily to help her up as well. "It doesn't matter the motivation, Lily; the bottom line is that Sirius used _me _to get to Severus and the result could have been deadly for several of us. Even if it was a spontaneous act, Sirius weighed my trust against getting one over on Snape and he chose based on his hatred rather than his loyalty. I became expendable in his pursuit of his ultimate goal. It was very _Slytherin _of him, wasn't it?"

"I can't believe that you would throw five years of friendship out the window without at least trying to talk to him, without trying to understand what was going through his mind. You know, Severus and I are friends but he can be pretty ill tempered and underhanded when he wants to be. How do you know he didn't threaten Sirius with something ghastly – something that would hurt all of you, not just him?" Lily tried to reason with her friend as they walked back up to the castle for lunch. It was apparently to no avail.

"First of all, as I told you, I _did _talk to Sirius; there's nothing left for us to say. Secondly, there's nothing I can think of that Severus could threaten that would explain or condone Sirius' choice of action and, finally, _I _can't believe that you can't see things from our perspective," Remus said firmly.

"Listen to yourself: '_our perspective_', indeed," Lily shot back. "You, James and Peter have set yourselves up as judge and jury. You control the testimony; you control the outcome. Collectively. You shut him down, so Black's gone into full retreat mode. Alone. He certainly saw things from _'your perspective'_, didn't he?"

They had just reached the front doors of the school and Lily laid a hand on Remus' arm to delay him entering the castle for a moment. "Listen," she said quietly. "I don't deny that what he did is reprehensible; truly, I don't. _Or _that you all aren't totally justified in feeling anything you want toward him. All I'm saying is that what Black did is so far removed from everything he's said and done since first year that it just _might _merit a little more evaluation than an emotional chat, had in anger and a , 'move on mate'. If I were the three of you, I'd want to know more before I closed the book on him." She searched Remus' face then sighed. "Fine. You're not budging. Maybe if you think about it for awhile, you'll change your mind. Meanwhile, let's go find the others, shall we?"

Remus nodded and followed her inside, his thoughts focused on Gryffindor tower – and an empty space where a friend used to be.

XXXXXXXX

"How did it go?" James asked as he and Remus sat down to lunch. Kate and Lily were off by themselves.

"She hit me," Remus said. "She'd figured it out three years ago and was wondering when I was going to tell her."

James smiled. "That's my girl." He pushed his shepherd's pie around on his plate a bit before asking, "You told her about what happened with Sirius, right?"

Remus swallowed a bit of his salad and nodded. "Yes. She thinks there's more to it than meets the eye."

James nodded. "Yeah. I'm beginning to think so, too."

Remus sighed. "Alright. I suppose it's crossed _my _mind once or twice as well. Any idea what it could be – this _missing data_?"

James shook his head. "No clue. And you know he won't talk to us; he fuckin' moved _out_ on us, didn't he? Sends a pretty clear message."

"After the one we sent him," Peter piped up and the others turned to look at him. "What? I was there. I know what we said to him too, you know." At that point, Sirius walked past the table, heading out of the Great Hall. The boys watched him go then Peter continued, "And we _all _can see what it's done."

XXXXXXXX

"Kate, you know, Sirius mentioned you when I tried to talk to him this morning," Lily said as Kate sipped her tea, her eyes following Sirius' progress out of the Hall.

Her attention snapped to Lily. "What did he say?"

"Something about how you finally saw him for who and what he really is and that you didn't like what you saw," the redhead replied. "Katie, what happened between you two that Sunday?"

Kate's eyes filled and she shook her head. "I can't, Lily; please don't push me."

"Did you believe him? Whatever it was that he told you, did it seem in character to you?"

Kate thought back to her last conversation with Sirius and how he had assumed Remus had told her he'd intentionally sent Severus to a certain death. About how Sirius was nothing but pretense until that full moon when he decided to show himself a true member of the Black family. She shuddered. Did it seem in character to her? "No," she answered Lily truthfully. "No, it did not seem in character to me at all."

"Did you believe him? Because he seems to think that you did," Lily said.

"I don't know," Kate confessed. "I don't know if I actually believed the things he said to me, or if I was just horrified by them – by the passion with which he delivered them. I can tell you this much, _Sirius_ believed them. He believed every single word that came out of his mouth; believed it with all of his heart. I've never seen him that way," she said. "It was frightening."

"Maybe he intended it to be," Lily said thoughtfully.

"But then the question becomes, _why_ did he intend to be so frightening? Was it because he knew he was speaking the truth and wanted to make sure I had no interest in staying with him, or – was it because he thought I'd believed what others had told me and he wanted me to leave him on _his _terms? It makes my head ache to think of it all," Kate said, closing her eyes.

"Maybe he didn't want to hear your voice saying the things he'd already heard from James and Remus," Lily mused. "His biggest loss in this whole mess would be you; he'd want to control the exit, wouldn't he?"

Kate nodded. "Patterned behavior, isn't it? But nothing we can do anything about. He's clearly not interested in talking things over, much less patching them up. I'm very worried about what will happen when we leave for summer holiday, Lily. He's going to take this … this _thing _with him to that awful place. He won't be in the right frame of mind to stand up to his parents – or to try to defend himself. Even if what he told me is true, I would hate to see anyone subjected to that kind of treatment."

"Does he know how to reach you in London?" Lily asked.

"Yes, he has my address, but I can't imagine he'd use it," Kate replied. "Not after all that's happened."

"See if you can get him alone to talk to him. Make sure he knows that it's alright for him to get in touch with you over the holiday if he needs to talk or anything," Lily suggested. "At least then you'll know that you've done all that you can to help him."

"I'll think about it, Lils."

XXXXXXXX

"_Bloody Lily Evans!_" Sirius' angry voice reverberated in the silence of his new room as he slammed the heavy door behind him and threw his book bag on the floor with some force. _Why the _fuck_ couldn't she just leave it alone? But, _no_; she has to come up to me and force a conversation it all. Wants to make it _better_; get us all together to work it out! Bollocks _that!

He sat down in the wooden chair in front of his desk. _It would have been bad enough if she'd left it at Remus, James and Peter. _Sirius stared down at his hands. _She had to bring Kate into it. Katie_.

Over the past weeks, when he'd managed to get to sleep, his dreams were haunted by the horrified look that had been on Kate's face when they'd last spoken. The look that came with his revelation about the root cause of his actions against Snape. Her face and Remus' warred for dominance during those long, torturous hours of night. When he awoke, drenched in sweat, tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks, he calmed himself with the reminder that she was better off without him; they all were. In those first moments of awakening, before conscious thought fully took hold, Sirius wanted nothing more than to be part of that which he had lost. His betrayal of Remus had shaken him to his core; when Kate had realized the truth of what he'd told her about his nature, about who he really _was_, he knew that she would never want him again. Really, how could she? How could anyone? He'd had to push her away but _Merlin_ how it hurt not to have her. And, even though he knew that those dreams were the product of the pain that he did his best to push down during the day, Sirius didn't know how to manage it any differently.

Sirius stood and began to pace. There were three weeks left until school broke for the summer holiday. Usually, the specter of Grimmauld Place loomed large before him at this time of year; but now he couldn't find it in himself to think about it. He needed to find a way to avoid his former friends until term ended and he returned to London. Moving out helped and classes would be manageable; he rarely saw more than the backs of their heads owing to his new seating arrangements. Meals, however, would be particularly challenging – particularly given the fact that Lily had chosen the Great Hall for her attempt at conversation today. He really had to eat, there wasn't much avoiding that. Kitchen raids, where enjoyable once upon a time, were now dangerous; who knew when he might run into his former friends and be forced into unwanted conversation. But how to solve this particular problem?

Sirius stopped abruptly, a smile slowly forming on his face. He closed his eyes and focused; a moment later, there was a soft _pop_ behind him and Sirius turned to see a bar of Honeydukes Finest on the top of his desk. _Well, that takes care of the food problem_, he thought. He pushed the chocolate bar out of the way and pulled his book bag up from the floor. A little homework and he'd figure out dinner later on.

_So maybe it doesn't take care of the real problem, _Sirius thought to himself_. But maybe I can get rid of the dreams for awhile. _If he couldn't manage the pain during the day, at least he might be able to get some sleep at night.

XXXXXXXX

Although Remus was still angry and resentful over Sirius' betrayal, he couldn't deny that he became concerned when Sirius stopped appearing in the Great Hall for meals. It was a concern shared by James, Peter, Lily and Kate, but they quickly found that Sirius was decidedly unapproachable. Peter accurately pointed out that Sirius appeared to have found some resource for food as he did not appear to be ill nor was he any thinner than he'd been before the Prank.

Kate had known from the beginning that Sirius had taken up running and, for reasons unknown to her, had kept that information to herself. She had taken to rising early most mornings, however, and, under cover of a Disillusionment charm, sat in the Quidditch stands while he ran his morning laps. Kate told herself that she was just making certain that he was alright; but if she wanted to be honest with herself, Kate would admit that she was doing so in hopes that she would one day be brave enough to approach him. It wasn't the conversation she feared – it was another rejection.

On the Friday before they were all to leave Hogwarts for holiday, Kate realized that this was her last chance to talk with Sirius. Their classes ended mid-day, the Leaving Feast would be that evening and the next morning, everyone would be scurrying to gather their things and get to Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express.

She rose earlier than usual, showered, dressed, cast her usual Disillusionment charm and made her way to the Pitch. Checking the surface of the playing area, Kate saw the now familiar sight of a bare-chested Sirius, in track shorts and trainers, taking in his daily run. Kate felt herself shiver as she watched the play of muscles in his smooth back, the strong legs and his now sculpted chest. Despite her concerns about all that he had told her the last time they'd spoken, Kate couldn't deny that she was still very much attracted to the handsome wizard.

Kate sat silently, refreshing the Disillusionment charm once as she waited for Sirius to finish his routine. Finally, he slowed and walked the perimeter of the area before stooping to pick his wand from the pocket of his robes and casting cleansing and grooming charms on himself before donning his robes and walking from the Pitch onto the grounds.

Kate had begun walking down from the stands when Sirius began casting the grooming charms. Thus, she was waiting for him when he walked through the exit of the Pitch. She murmured, "_Finite_" and stepped toward him.

"Sirius," she said quietly, watching as he stopped in his tracks and turned in the direction of her voice.

"Kate," he replied, not meeting her eyes. "What are you doing down here?"

"I've been coming down every morning for the past couple of weeks," she confessed. "I've been trying to work up the nerve to speak with you."

Sirius felt his heart clench at her words. _Have I frightened you so badly, Katie, that you have to find the courage to talk to me? _"The fact that it took you two weeks to do it should probably tell you that this is not a good idea," he replied. _There. Appropriately cool and uninviting. _

Kate took a step back from him at that. "What's happened to you, Sirius?"

He sighed. "Kate, nothing has '_happened_' to me. This is who I am. I told you this weeks ago."

"No! This is _not _who you are! You're trying to make me believe that you're a true Black – cruel, selfish, devious. I know this isn't true." Kate walked closer to him and slipped her hand in his.

_Don't do this to me, Katie_, Sirius begged silently. _Don't touch me; don't fight for me. I'm not worth it._ But it felt so good, this minor contact with her. He had been weeks without it and that was unusual for the very tactile young man. He was dismayed to realize that his traitorous thoughts had led him to squeeze her hand firmly. Sirius dropped her hand as if it was on fire.

"Stop it, Kate! I can't be with you anymore. I realize now that I never should have tried. I'm a Black, Kate and we don't love people. We use them and we hurt them. Go find someone who will be kind to you, will really care for you. I'm not that person; I never was," Sirius began to walk quickly up the hill before she could see the tears that had started to form in his eyes. Moments later, he was stunned to feel the back of his robes pulled violently. Sirius turned to find Kate standing there, her old fury alive and well in her eyes.

"Fine. You want to give me the gate, you go right ahead and try! You've done it before – just used a different excuse. But know this, you're not fooling me one bit. You've convinced yourself that you're the living example of every clichéd and twisted characteristic of your family; congratulations! You're wrong, of course, but you need time or some kind of reverse epiphany to figure that out. Ok, fine. I can wait you out. Someday, you'll come to me and I'll get to hear the rest of your story. You'll come to me because you need someone to listen to you. You've ostracized everyone else, after all. And I will listen, because if you persist in this perverse behavior, at least I'll have the chance to know just why the hell you're doing it." Kate paused for breath and to brush the tears from her cheeks. She fished around in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Kate extended her hand to him. "Take it," she said more quietly. When he did not, Kate reached over and took his hand, turning it palm-up and placing the paper in his grasp. She curled his fingers over it before she spoke again. "You're going back home tomorrow, Sirius and you've convinced yourself that you belong there. I guarantee you that when you've been there for awhile, you're going to remember who you really are – and it won't be a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, either." She nodded toward his fist. "That's my address. When you wake up and remember who the _real _Sirius Black is – and exactly where he _doesn't _belong, that's where I'll be. Owl me. Show up at my door – I don't care which. Because I'll be waiting, in spite of you and everything you said to me weeks ago and today. _You _might have forgotten who you really are – but I haven't; I _won't_." Kate nodded. "There. That's everything I wanted to say." And with that, she brushed past him and walked up the hill, never looking back.

Had she done so, she would have seen Sirius gazing after her, clutching his closed fist to his chest, a look of complete longing on his face.


	42. Epiphanies

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Language

Chapter 42 – Epiphanies

Ofelia moved easily about her room, placing the last few items in her trunk in preparation for tomorrow's departure for the holidays. Of course, Ofelia would not be returning come fall, but she was the only person thus far who was aware of that fact.

Arturo's graduation ceremony would be held the following afternoon, traditionally scheduled to take place after all other students had departed. Her parents had arrived earlier in the day and had taken a suite of rooms in an elegant hotel at the top of Hogsmeade village. The Bullstrodes wanted their children to join them at the hotel's renowned, five-star restaurant for a celebratory dinner in honor of Arturo, but Ofelia declined, saying that she had never attended a Leaving Feast and wished to do so this evening. Given her initial reluctance to transfer to Hogwarts and, obviously, knowing nothing of Ofelia's current condition and future plans, her parents were relieved at her request and happily granted it. Whatever suspicion Arturo might have initially had about her decision was eradicated when Ofelia told him that she wasn't quite ready to deal with her mother on the topic of another arranged marriage. The hotel would be accommodating the prominent families of several Hogwarts' graduates and, as Ofelia shared, her mother's constant monitoring of the other diners would drive her to distraction. Knowing that she was right, and chuckling at the picture his younger sister painted, Arturo relaxed and agreed that she should have a reprieve for the evening. Besides, he thought to himself, with their younger brother staying with relatives, this would be a rare chance to have his parents' attentions focused entirely on him.

In true Slytherin fashion, Ofelia was quickly pushed to the edges of his thought as he donned his dress robes for the trip to Hogsmeade.

A soft knock on the dormitory door brought Ofelia out of her thoughts. As she turned, she saw Isolde Dolohov slipping quietly into the room.

"Hello, Ofelia," she said. "Do you have a moment to speak with me?"

Ofelia fixed what she hoped was a pleasant smile on her face and gestured toward her desk chair. "Of course, Isolde; sit down." Ofelia settled herself on the edge of her bed and waited for the other girl to speak.

"I've just come from the Headmaster's office," Isolde said. "We had rather a long talk about something that I did that caused you difficulties."

"And what was that?"

"Well, it's the oddest thing. I remember that Professor Dumbledore told me that I said something about you that wasn't true to … _someone_ here at school. There was quite a flap over it, apparently, and I just wanted you to know that I'm very sorry for whatever it was that I said." The girl looked wide-eyed at Ofelia, who stared back with a confused look on her own face.

"Of course I accept your apology, Isolde, but I'm not sure why you're offering it," Ofelia wondered exactly what had happened in Dumbledore's office.

Isolde leaned forward in her chair. "To tell you the truth, Ofelia, neither am I. I'm almost positive that I knew what the Headmaster was talking about when I walked into his office, but when I left, all I could remember was that he suggested that I apologize to you for causing such a fuss. It seemed to be the right thing to do, so here I am," she spread her hands apart and shrugged.

Ofelia hid a smile. _Albus Dumbledore, you clever, manipulative, wonderful old wizard!_ _You've _Obliviated_ Isolde Dolohov on my behalf – I'm certain of it!_

"Well, Isolde, I'm grateful for your apology and it probably doesn't really matter if you can't quite remember the conversation. We're all right now, you and I, and that's all that counts, isn't it?" Ofelia suddenly found it easy to be magnanimous with the girl now that her problem had been so handily disposed of.

Isolde brightened visibly. "You know, that's very true; no point crying over spilt potion, is there? Whatever I did, I'm sorry for it and you've forgiven me. That's certainly enough to be going on with, isn't it?"

"I think so," Ofelia agreed, rising.

Isolde stood, as well. "Are you going to the Leaving Feast?"

"Yes, as soon as I finish packing. Will I see you there?"

"Oh, yes, but I won't be at our table." Isolde leaned closer to Ofelia. "May I share a secret with you?"

Ofelia smiled and nodded. "Please do."

"Xenophilius Lovegood has asked me to sit with him at Hufflepuff's table at the Feast this evening. I think he's quite handsome, you know; and he knows a great deal about many interesting topics. I'm quite looking forward to it," she smiled warmly at Ofelia as she whispered her plans.

Ofelia tried to recall which Hufflepuff boy Isolde might have been referring to and suddenly, an image of a slightly cross-eyed boy with long-ish blonde hair popped into her head. '_Quite handsome_' wasn't exactly the phrase she'd use to describe Xenophilius Lovegood, but if Isolde found him to be so, then Ofelia wished her the best. "I hope you have a lovely evening, Isolde."

With a nod, Isolde walked over to the door and opened it before turning back to Ofelia. "I hope you have a lovely evening, as well, Ofelia. Good night."

"Good night, Isolde," she replied. Once the door had clicked shut, Ofelia sat down heavily on her bed again. She thought ahead to her plan for the evening. She wasn't certain it would be '_lovely_', but if all went as she hoped, at least there would be closure.

XXXXXXXX

The Great Hall was filled with the excited chatter of several hundred students, thrilled to have completed another academic year and very much looking forward to two months' holiday. As Ofelia entered the Hall, she glanced over at the Gryffindor table and sighed sadly. Remus, James, Lily, Peter and Kate sat together in their usual spot; Sirius was not with them and there was no sign of him at what had become his new seat, either. Ofelia knew little of what had transpired between the six friends, but she had the feeling that somehow, at the center of it all was Severus and his claim that Sirius was the father of her child. She could not ask Sirius, as he had been most diligent in absenting himself from all of them over the past two months. Ofelia silently cursed the poor timing of all of this; she had only enough time to hopefully settle things with Severus before leaving the school.

Ofelia was pleased to see Severus sitting a bit apart from the Black sisters and Lucius Malfoy and, true to form, he was reading from his Potions textbook which lay open in front of him. She slipped into the space at the end of the bench, next to him and reached for the pumpkin juice. "Good evening, Severus," she said quietly.

He jumped at the sound of her voice, but closed the book and acknowledged her. "Ofelia," he said, his voice cool. He dropped his gaze to her midriff, lingering only a moment before bringing his eyes back to her face. Severus was very surprised to see a small smile grace her lips. She leaned closer to him.

"Yes, Severus; I am aware that you have discovered my secret. At the conclusion of the Leaving Feast, I should like very much to speak with you – privately – about that very matter. Will you consent to meet with me in the West courtyard when we are finished here?"

Severus' eyes widened for a moment and he said nothing, as if giving her request great thought. Eventually, he inclined his head slightly. "Of course; if you are agreeable, I shall accompany you there." He reached for a dinner roll and buttered it carefully as he waited for her answer.

Ofelia sipped her juice. "How considerate of you, Severus. Could you please pass the soup?"

The rest of their meal was completed in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Severus acknowledged his apprehension over what the young witch might confront him with. Ofelia was amused at his obvious discomfiture, despite his initially cool demeanor. _This might not be quite as difficult as I originally imagined. _

"Are you ready?" Ofelia turned to Severus as he once again closed his book and appeared to be finished with his meal.

"I am."

The two rose and left the Great Hall together, both conscious of the frank stares of some of their housemates.

Arriving in the courtyard, Ofelia took a moment to breathe deeply of the scent of the fragrant Bluebells on the early summer air. "I will so miss that scent," she murmured, unthinking.

"But you have only to wait until next year and they will bloom again," Severus reminded her, gesturing to the stone bench by the wall. "Shall we?"

Ofelia nodded, taking a seat and waiting while Severus settled himself next to her.

"I am assuming that the Headmaster spoke with you about my discovery of your _condition_," Severus offered when Ofelia did not immediately speak.

"Yes. He wanted to verify some of the _facts_ you presented regarding paternity, for one thing," Ofelia decided to take the direct approach as Severus' had set that tone.

"It was not difficult to deduce paternity, Ofelia. Particularly after finding the two of you together, your robes torn, in the unused classroom. It was obvious to me that he was coercing you into … certain _behaviors_," Severus replied.

"Severus, I do so wish you had come to me when Isolde told you of my condition. I could have allayed your fears about Sirius; I could have told you the truth – that he certainly is _not_ the father of my child," Ofelia spoke quietly, but firmly.

Severus' face registered his surprise. "But how…?"

"Severus, I was already pregnant when I came to Hogwarts; I simply did not know it at that time. The father is not here; you do not know him. We spoke the truth to you that day about my robes. You saw the condition of that classroom. Everything unwanted winds up inside. A broken desk caught my robes and tore them as you saw. Sirius has never raised a hand to me; I honestly do not believe he ever would. And he certainly would not force his attentions upon me; I would hope that you can believe that."

Severus listened to the honesty in Ofelia's words and knew that he had been mistaken.

"I fear that your leap to false conclusion has somehow resulted in the fissure that has developed between Sirius and his friends. You are aware that they no longer speak to him, nor he to them, are you not?"

Severus looked directly into her eyes. "The problems of Sirius Black are of no concern to me. He is a _swine_ with little to no regard for anyone but _himself_. He is the worst form of coward – one who would endanger someone out of hatred – and to achieve his own ends. If Black and his little friends are no longer the close-knit group they once were, perhaps it will be for the betterment of many."

Ofelia knew that there was bad blood between the Slytherin student and the Gryffindors, but she had no idea that the hatred ran quite _this _deep. She decided that she could push no further for information that she might use to help her friends work out their differences.

"Alright, Severus, I will say nothing further on that matter," Ofelia said. "I must, however, ask that you keep my confidence about this child."

"I have told no one of your condition beyond Black – who apparently knew, and the Headmaster, who will certainly not betray your confidence," Severus reasoned.

"I understand. I must, however, ensure that you will not divulge my secret to anyone in your House. It is imperative. I have not told anyone in my family, including Arturo, of my pregnancy and I do not plan to do so until I return home. The father will also be telling his parents and, hopefully, after I have the baby, we will marry."

"And your education?"

"I will complete my education at Beauxbatons, my former school, beginning in September," Ofelia told him. She reached over and took his hand. "Severus, I am entrusting you with the most important thing in my life right now. Please, promise me that my confidence in you is well placed."

Severus looked down at where her small, pale hand gripped his larger one. If things had been different, perhaps – no, there was no point in exploring that thought. Ofelia was asking for one thing from him – something that was so important to her and would be so easy for him to promise.

"You have my word; I will keep your confidence, Ofelia," he said quietly, adding, "And I will miss you next year."

Ofelia felt her eyes fill as she heard the loneliness in the young wizard's voice. "I will miss you, as well, Severus. And I thank you for your promise." She shivered as a cool breeze wafted over them. Severus immediately rose and removed his outer robe, draping it about her shoulders. "Come," he said, holding out his hand to help her rise. "You should not be out in the night air."

Despite his poignant chivalry, Ofelia had to roll her eyes. "Severus," she said dryly as she tucked her hand at his elbow. "I'm pregnant, not incapacitated."

"You should still be inside," he said as they passed through the archway.

They did not notice Regulus Black step from the shadows of the far pillar and stare after them.

XXXXXXXX

Unlike prior years, there was no last minute prank, no raucous laughter or good-natured teasing as the three remaining Marauders, Lily and Kate waited with their belongings for the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade Station. Instead, the five represented an island of quiet amongst the more typically loud students surrounding them.

Sirius arrived just in time to catch the last carriage and was seated with three other 5th years from Ravenclaw House. Upon reaching Hogsmeade, he quickly located his former friends and managed to stay out of their sight until the time to board the gleaming scarlet train arrived. Standing just next to one of the cars, Sirius waited until Professor Slughorn boarded the train and selected his car for the trip to London. Sirius knew that the vain, social climbing Potions Master liked to invite some of his more well-connected students to travel with him. Normally, Sirius would have declined the invitation but, under the circumstances, it suited him to accept, as it would eliminate his need to be constantly on the lookout for certain 5th year Gryffindors. _I really _should_ have been sorted into Slytherin_, he mused as he slid into a seat somewhat removed from the blustering professor. Sirius knew he'd be drawn into conversation at some point in the trip but, for now, he drew out a new copy of Charles Dickens' _David Copperfield_, bought to replace the one he'd borrowed from Remus and returned before he'd finished. Sirius had found a great parallel between his own early life and that of Mr. Dickens, particularly in respect to their unsatisfactory relationships with their respective mothers.

Meanwhile, Remus, James and Peter occupied the car the Marauders had claimed since first year, while Lily and Kate sat with Alice Longbottom and Dorcas Meadows in another. Lily declared that she couldn't stand the sense of melancholy prevalent in the boys' car – particularly when there was clearly something they could do to alleviate the situation.

For her part, Kate had been quiet since her encounter with Sirius the previous morning. She had marched straight back to the castle, feeling equal parts of pride in accomplishing what she had set out to do and deep, overpowering sadness at the entire situation. Lily had been right; whatever happened over the holiday, at least Kate knew she had reached out to Sirius; she had done what she could to get through to him. _Loudly_, she thought to herself, shaking her head at the memory.

Kate had shared her encounter with no one – not even Lily – and had, in fact, refused to answer the redhead's questions about where she had gone so early that morning. While she loved Lily and knew that she only had Kate's best interests at heart, Kate didn't think she could take any more advice where Sirius was concerned.

In the boys' compartment, conversation was subdued.

"Plans over the summer, Moony?" James asked, idly watching the scenery fly past their window as the train sped through the countryside.

"Nothing concrete," Remus replied, putting his finger in his book to hold his place while he answered. "Mum mentioned that one of her students needs tutoring in maths and the parents would like to hire me to do it for a couple of weeks. Other than that, not much. You?"

James looked at him and shrugged. "Well, Pad – _Sirius_ was going to come and stay for the month of August, but that's not happening now – obviously. Mum and Dad take that house in Brighton for the middle two weeks in July so I'll be there then. Hey, Moony, you and Pete should come to Brighton with me for a few days. Mum and Dad would love it and we could hang out on the beach. What do you say?"

"My mum's making me go with her to Wales to see my grandmother for the whole month of July," Peter said despondently. "Nothing to do, no one my age for miles and her place smells of cats." He sighed, dramatically.

"Poor Pete," James said, sympathetically. "Well, Moons, that leaves you, then."

"Can't, James," Remus said. "Timing's not right." He looked at James, pointedly.

James looked confused for a moment then realized what Remus was saying. "Remus, there's a good, strong stone shed out in the back of the house. You could transform there."

Remus shook his head. "No, James; thank you, though."

"But, Remus, you'd be …."

"Safe? Secluded? I think we both know that can't be guaranteed, James," Remus said, firmly. "Besides, the wolf has had enough change over the past couple of moons and is unsettled as it is. I'm hoping that being at home will make it a little easier, perhaps calm the wolf a bit due to the familiar surroundings. I'm sorry, Prongs," he added.

"I know, Moony," James said. "I just wish things were different is all."

"They _are _different, James; you just wish they could be the _same_," Remus replied with a sad smile.

After that, there didn't seem to be much point in conversation. Remus and Peter returned to their books and James turned his attention to the window – wondering if things would _ever _be 'the same' again.

XXXXXXXX

It seemed to take forever, but finally the Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross Station. Sirius lagged behind, taking his time to pack his books back into his bag neatly – dividing his attention between the task at hand and the activity on Platform 9 ¾. He watched as Lily was greeted warmly by her parents – and less so by her horsey-faced sister, Petunia – then whisked toward the exit. Similarly, Peter's overweight, over dressed, overly emotional mother waved him over with her handkerchief, kissing his cheeks and talking non-stop as they, too, walked away from the train. James and Remus were next, both sets of parents standing together chatting as their respective sons collected their things and walked over to them. There were hugs and brief conversations then they, too, were gone. _Where's Kate?_ Sirius searched the crowd anxiously. He couldn't stall much longer; the train would leave for the return trip. Finally, he saw her walk up to an elegantly dressed woman, who hugged her and gestured toward the end of the platform. Sirius watched as Kate looked around her one final time and Sirius knew that she was looking for _him_. Unconsciously, he took a step back from the window, although he realized that Kate would not be able to see him from her angle. Eventually, she and the woman he supposed to be her mother walked swiftly toward the barrier that would lead to the Muggle side of King's Cross Station. When he could no longer see them, Sirius gathered his things and left the train.

Sirius easily spotted Regulus standing off to the side; he didn't expect to see his father waiting with him, however. Generally, collecting the two from the train station had always been Walburga's task.

"You're late," Orion said, his voice neutral.

Sirius relaxed – marginally. "I was invited to sit in Professor Slughorn's car on the train and it was difficult getting away when we arrived," he said. It was true enough. Slughorn had engaged Sirius in conversation about various members of the Black family and, as a result, Sirius was the last student to leave that car.

"Horace Slughorn?" Orion asked as the family moved toward the apparition area beyond the barrier.

Sirius nodded.

"He's always been something of a blue-stocking, you know. 'Collecting' people as others collect stamps or jewelry – just to say that he knows them. Still, he doesn't bother with you unless you're doing well, yourself. You must be succeeding in Potions."

"Yes, sir," Sirius responded. "I won't know about my O.W.L. score until later this summer, though."

Orion looked at his elder son curiously. "Are you quite alright, Sirius? You seem – different, somehow. Quiet. Less … contrary."

_I haven't given you fits yet, you mean_, Sirius thought to himself but answered, "Yes, sir. I'm fine."

Even Regulus was looking at his brother oddly, but remained silent.

They had reached the special apparition area and Orion instructed his sons to grasp his arms firmly, which they did, and moments later the trio vanished.

When he next opened his eyes, Sirius was staring across at a grimy brick wall that he knew stood in an alley a few houses down from No. 12 Grimmauld Place. He felt in his pocket for his trunk and broom, shrunken to be easily transported and, closing his fingers over them, followed his father and brother into the street. With each step, Sirius' heart sank a little lower. It was not just the fact that Walburga awaited behind the heavy wooden door; it was that now, for the first time in many years, Sirius knew that he belonged here. His behavior two months ago proved it beyond the shadow of a doubt. He _was _a _Black_.

XXXXXXXX

"You certainly look well, darling," Felicity cooed, sitting on Kate's window seat as her daughter unpacked her trunk and settled back into her room.

Kate smiled. "I have to confess that I'm surprised you think so; I'm afraid that O.W.L. preparation took the place of sleep over the past few weeks. It will be nice to get some rest and spend some time with you."

Felicity looked away from her daughter and glanced into the street for a moment. Kate noticed and paused in her unpacking to remark, "Is something wrong?"

Felicity twisted the handkerchief she gripped in her fingers and gave a short, nervous laugh. "Not _wrong_, exactly, darling." She paused, looking Kate in the eye. "You will remember my dear friend, Melanie Hanscombe, yes?"

"A red-headed woman with a penchant for éclairs, as I recall," Kate smiled at her mother, remembering the friend of whom she spoke, a well-proportioned, sweet-natured woman who was quick to laughter and who looked upon Felicity as a sister. Despite Kate's comment, she genuinely liked Mrs. Hanscombe.

Felicity returned Kate's wry smile. "She hasn't changed in that respect," she replied, "or any other. She is such a very kind person."

"And what has she to do with this 'not exactly wrong' situation?" Kate asked, joining her mother on the window seat.

"Well, Melanie's brother, Thomas O'Hanlon, was widowed several years ago and is preparing to move from Geneva to London, now that his daughter has married," Felicity explained, still twisting the linen cloth in her hands.

Kate reached over and stilled the movement. "And?"

"Well, Melanie is going over next month to help him settle things, pack up the house and, hopefully, sell it. She's … asked me to accompany her as a sort of holiday trip," Felicity smiled softly. "She has introduced me to Thomas and we have – the four of us, of course, Melanie and her husband as well – gone to dinner and, on one occasion, the theater."

Kate's eyes rose in surprise. "You have a _boyfriend_?"

Felicity's face reflected her horror at the term. "Kathryn! I am of an age where the term 'boyfriend' clearly does not apply."

Kate could no longer suppress a chuckle. "A … _companion_, then?"

Felicity shook her head and smiled, her face stained crimson. "Perhaps. He is truthfully quite nice and always such a gentleman. Kate, I have no idea where this may go – if anywhere. For now, he makes a pleasant foursome for me to dine and go to certain social events with Melanie and Geoffrey without feeling out of place." Her face lost its somewhat winsome appearance as the purpose of her chat with Kate came back to her. "But, I will be gone the entire month of July and half of August, if I were to accept Melanie's invitation. That would leave you here, in London, without me."

Kate's heart sank a bit at the news, but she was truly happy for her mother's opportunity to do something other than wallow in her sorrows. And Melanie was such a true friend; this definitely _was _a wonderful – and safe – opportunity for Felicity.

"Mum, don't worry about me. I can stay here with Goldie; she'll look after me. And, perhaps I can go to Lily Evans' in August and stay with her until school begins again. Look, Mum, I'm sixteen now; I can certainly stay at home without you. Goldie's like a second mother, anyway." Kate smiled warmly.

"But what will you do with yourself all day?" Felicity couldn't hide her relief that Kate had been so immediately agreeable.

"Just because it's the summer holiday doesn't mean that Hogwarts doesn't give homework," Kate said, pulling a face. "And, of course, there's the art museum – you know how much I love it there – and Muggle cinema. Really, I'll have a grand time; and so will you," she finished leaning over and hugging her mother tightly. "It'll do you good to get away from this house and live a little bit."

Felicity smiled brightly. "You're a wonderful young woman, Kate. Thank you so much for being so … supportive."

"So, we have less than two weeks until you leave. What shall we do with ourselves?"

"Let's start with tea and a good gossip, shall we? I'll just have Goldie start everything and when we've finished here, she'll have it all ready for us," Felicity rose and walked out of the room, heading for the kitchen.

_Well, that's certainly an unexpected turn of events_, Kate mused to herself as she watched her mother go. _And not entirely unwelcome. Besides the obvious benefit of Mum's happiness, there's _my _position to consider: if Sirius _should_ contact me, Mum will most likely not be here to object and interfere. _With that thought in mind, Kate continued emptying her trunk, giving her mother a warm smile when she returned to help.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius dropped his trunk at the foot of his bed and sat down upon it heavily. There had been no sign of Walburga since their arrival, however Sirius knew from experience that this would not last forever. He began to contemplate the wisdom of unpacking his trunk when there was a soft knock on his door.

"Come in," he called, cursing himself for the slight tremble that ran through him as he did so. _Stupid, really; the bloody _hag _would certainly _not _knock before entering. _

It was Regulus, who missed his elder brother's sigh of relief. "Mother has said that tea will be served in an hour. I'm to make sure you come downstairs for it."

"I won't disappoint," Sirius said, rising.

"Aren't you unpacked yet?"

"I'm debating whether or not I should," Sirius said, honestly. "I could get myself chucked out quick enough."

Regulus sad down on Sirius' abandoned trunk. "Then would you go to the Bullstrode's?"

Sirius looked down at his brother in surprise. "No; why should I go to the Bullstrode's?"

"You've been helping Ofelia now that she's pregnant; surely they would take you in," Regulus said casually.

Sirius gripped the younger boy's shoulders. "What are you saying?"

Regulus shook himself free. "I overheard Ofelia speaking with Snape in the West courtyard last night. She told him everything and swore him to secrecy. She said that you had been kind and had helped her."

Sirius sat down next to his brother. "Regulus … Reg, this information is secret. I don't care if anyone finds out I've been helping her, but it would result in difficulties for Ofelia if anyone found out about her condition before she and the father tell their own families first. Do you understand?"

Regulus gave his brother a disdainful look. "I'm not daft, Sirius; of course I understand. It's not like I'm going to let it slip at the tea table. Give me some credit."

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "I do, Reg; really, I do. It's just that it's not my secret – it belongs to someone else. I don't want to be responsible for it leaking out."

"I won't say anything to anyone; I promise," Regulus spoke earnestly.

"Thanks. Hey, why were you following Snape and Ofelia around, anyway?" Sirius was curious as to what might have prompted his brother to follow them.

Regulus shrugged. "Nothing specific, really. You've been acting strangely; Snape's been stranger than normal, as well. I just wanted to see if they said anything about why."

"And did they?"

"No. Ofelia really hinted around, but Snape wouldn't say anything about it," Regulus looked at Sirius curiously. "So, what _is _wrong? You don't hang around with your friends anymore; you don't eat in the Great Hall. It's like you're some kind of ghost."

"We're just not friends anymore, Reg; people change."

"After _five years_?" Regulus was having difficulty believing it.

"Yeah, 'after five years'," Sirius replied. "Look, maybe I just figured that being friends with them only aggravates my life here; I really don't need that extra aggravation – especially after the marriage contract was cancelled."

"You can't expect me to believe that you gave up your best friends so Mother and Father would treat you better," Regulus said to him in disbelief.

"I don't expect anything; I'm finished expecting things from people, Regulus. But maybe I just figured that if I didn't do something they wanted me to do, they'd treat me worse. After Christmas, do you really think I can take 'worse'?" Sirius' voice was bitter.

"No," Regulus whispered, still horrified by the memories of what Sirius endured six months before.

"Let's just leave it, then, yeah?" Sirius asked then checked his watch. "Come on, it's time for tea. Let's not give her a reason to start in on me this early, right?"

Regulus nodded and followed his brother from the room, closing the door quietly behind them.


	43. Retribution

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Violence, torture, abuse

Chapter 43 – Retribution

"So, the remainder of your year at school went well?" Felicity settled back with her tea and awaited her daughter's response.

"It has been an … interesting year, to say the least," Kate replied, adding cream to her own cup.

"I must confess, Kate, that some of the stories circulating here in London these past months concerned two Hogwarts' students in your year," Felicity commented. "Ofelia Bullstrode and Sirius Black."

Kate set her teacup on the table before she dropped it. "Really? And what have the locals been saying?"

"Well, it would appear that young Mr. Black behaved in such a way that his parents were forced to cancel a marriage contract between him and Ms. Bullstrode. It would appear that there was another witch involved in the matter," Felicity sat back with the air of someone anticipating a good story – and from someone who would know the truth of it.

Kate knew she had to be cautious in her phrasing; given everything that had happened in recent months, Sirius' broken engagement really _was _old news – and quite unimportant in the scheme of things. "Neither party wanted the engagement," Kate said. "It was, as you said, an arranged marriage. I believe that the contract's dissolution served both Sirius and Ofelia very well." _There – a bit of information to satisfy, while not revealing too much. _

Felicity put her cup and saucer on the table. "And now Sirius Black is free once again," she said, eyeing Kate speculatively.

"I suppose he is," Kate commented. "Although can you imagine that his parents won't attempt to find him another 'suitable' bride?"

Felicity smiled secretively. "Oh, they'll _try_, of course; they're trying now, in fact. The _real_ question is whether or not they'll be successful. Rumor has it there will be more pureblooded doors being slammed in their faces – metaphorically speaking, of course – than not. Non-related doors, mind you; the Blacks have always inter-married."

Kate maintained a neutral expression, but her heart sank at the gossip Felicity shared. If true, this would not bode well for Sirius at home. And that, on top of the separation from his friends, would certainly be a great deal for the young wizard to bear.

"Aren't you glad that you didn't become too involved with him, dear?" Felicity probed, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"Mother, please; I do not want the time we have together this holiday to be spent arguing. I've told you how I feel about Sirius and those feelings have not changed. _You _might want to be aware of a few facts before you decide to hold firm on your opinion of him, however. Before I tell you, however, I must have your word that you will not share any of it with your friends – or whomever it is that gives you your gossip. Really, you must promise that what I tell you will remain between us – in this room – and shared with no one else," Kate said firmly.

Felicity was clearly torn. She very much wanted to hear what Kate had to say, but wasn't overly pleased at the price she would have to pay for that knowledge. She was loathe to have her daughter involved with the Blacks, for all the reasons she explained to Kate over Christmas. Felicity also knew, however, that to push Kate would only result in her full-on pursuit of the young wizard. Felicity decided to give Kate her word, listen to what she had to say and hope that if she could not share that information elsewhere, at least it might provide her with some kernel of fact that she could use to dissuade Kate from seeing the Black heir.

"Of course, Kate; you have my word."

Kate drew a deep breath. There was a fine line between what Sirius told her in confidence and what she had surmised on her own from things he had said out of context. She would share only what she had guessed and others – not Sirius – had confirmed. "Everyone thinks that Sirius is exactly like his family," she began, thinking, _including Sirius. _"He's not. As a matter of fact, his family treats him abominably. He is both physically and emotionally abused by them both – particularly his mother."

Felicity was surprised at Kate's revelation, but wondered how much was truth and how much was a romanticized interpretation of conditions in the Black house. Perhaps the parents were nothing more than strict disciplinarians and the boy had exaggerated his treatment. He _did _have something of a wild reputation; Felicity did not doubt that it took great disciplinary measures to keep Sirius Black in check.

"Are you certain of this because _he_ told you and you believe him – or have you _proof_ of the conditions in his home?"

"There is proof, but I am not at liberty to tell you what it is," Kate said, thinking of Sirius' detailed description of events at Grimmauld Place over Christmas – and of Dumbledore's outrage when he brought the boy back to Hogwarts. She had given Sirius her word that she would never repeat that story and she refused to betray him.

"Well, dear, I'm sure you can appreciate that allegations like that are quite difficult to believe without proof. I'm sure that the Blacks take a firm hand with Sirius, but based on my information, he needs one," Felicity responded.

"If you are unwilling to believe me, then we have nothing further to discuss about Sirius or my relationship with him, on whatever level that may exist," Kate said, drinking the last of her tea. "After all, without proof, how are you to believe me?"

"Darling, don't be cross; our time together is so limited this summer. I don't want us to be angry with one another any more than you do," Felicity attempted to soothe her daughter's obviously ruffled feathers. _But I have no intention of budging from my position regarding Sirius Black – and his family. _

"Then I would strongly suggest that we eliminate the Blacks – all of them – from our topic list," Kate said, rising. "I have no intention of banishing Sirius from my life, Mother; you will need to adjust to that fact. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go up and take a shower and read until dinner."

Felicity nodded. "Of course, dear. I'll see you at dinner," she said, watching Kate as she left the room. While her determination to block any relationship that brought the Blacks any closer to her family than they already were, Felicity thought, for the first time, that her own daughter might be the biggest hurdle to that goal.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius and Regulus entered the formal parlor together and approached the small table Walburga used for formal tea. The brothers had been initiated to the ritual of High Tea when they were mere children; Walburga had been determined that her sons learn proper manners at an early age to ensure that they would conduct themselves appropriately in society. It was a ritual Sirius had grown to despise, largely as it put him in the presence of his parents for an additional hour whenever his mother saw fit to inflict it on them.

Today, Walburga sat at the head of the table, watching her sons enter and take their seats.

She was beautifully dressed in deep teal dress robes and the Black family diamonds adorned her wrist, throat and winked from her pierced ears whenever she turned her head.

"You look beautiful, Mother," Regulus said, always in awe of Walburga in what Sirius privately referred to as, "full battle gear".

"Thank you, Regulus," Walburga purred as she poured his tea. "Sirius, may I have your cup?"

"Yes, thank you," Sirius said, passing the ancient porcelain cup and saucer to her.

Walburga eyed her son curiously as she passed the tea back to him. "You are feeling well, Sirius?"

"Quite well, Mother," he responded. _I will behave as a Black and give you _nothing _to find fault with. If I have to be here all summer, I'll be damned if it will be a repeat of Christmas. _

"You seem quite unlike your normal self," she pressed, regarding her elder son with greater scrutiny than before.

"O.W.L.s were last week," Sirius replied. "I studied quite late most nights; maybe I'm just tired."

"I assume that you did well," Walburga acknowledged, sipping from her own cup.

"The results won't be back until later this summer," Sirius replied, draining his cup. "I believe I did well, however."

"Blacks have historically done very well in their examinations; we expect no less from you, Sirius," Walburga advised him.

"Yes, Mother."

Walburga's eyebrows rose dramatically. It had been years since she had heard such civility from her elder son. Irritation prickled her nerves. "Are you mocking me?"

"No, Mother," Sirius said, keeping his voice even. "I was acknowledging your expectation that I do well with my exams. I believe the results, when they arrive, will show that I _have_ done."

Regulus had been observing the interaction between his brother and mother and now felt that a swift retreat was in order. "Mother, may I please be excused? I would like to finish my Potions homework before dinner. It is my last assignment for the holiday and I want to get it out of the way."

Walburga turned her attention to her younger son and Sirius was amused to see her expression change from suspicion to something almost warm. "Of course, dear. Dinner is at seven; just the family this evening, so you need not wear dress robes."

Regulus rose, pushed his chair back in its place and shot a sympathetic glance toward his brother before turning and leaving the parlor. Walburga waited until the door had closed before speaking again.

"I happen to know, my son, that you were involved in some type of _episode_ at school that involved Severus Snape. You are no longer on the Quidditch team and you cost Gryffindor House an exorbitant number of House points. For those punishments, I suppose I should applaud you as you've made it easier for Slytherin to acquire the House Cup this year. I cannot do so, however, as your behavior has been the fodder for gossip and, as such, has put our family in a somewhat negative light," Walburga's voice was quietly triumphant.

Sirius shook his head. "I apologize that you've heard gossip and I can only assume that it came from my cousins who would not have had the full story; Dumbledore wanted to quell speculation and spare Snape embarrassment and so he advised that there would be _no_ discussion allowed."

Walburga's eyes glittered and she leaned closer to her son. "But _you_ are aware of the circumstances, given the fact that you were involved in the matter, are you not?"

Sirius took a deep breath and began the lie he had decided to tell should this topic arise. It didn't really matter; he knew his parents hated Dumbledore enough that they would never verify the detail with him. He also knew that anything carried home by Narcissa and Bellatrix was pure speculation and would not hold up under any scrutiny. "Snape, as it happens, developed a bit of a crush on Ofelia Bullstrode this year and was given to following me around to see if he could discredit me and worm his way into Ofelia's favor. He claimed that he had information that would get me expelled and I hexed him, wounding his arm and knocking him unconscious. James Potter and Peter Pettigrew found him and brought him back up to the castle. Dumbledore got the school Healer to tend to his injuries, punished me and forbade us all from discussing the matter with anyone else. He wanted Snape to put it behind him and not endure any more teasing from students than he already gets, I suppose." _That's close enough to the truth, I reckon._

Walburga watched him steadily throughout his explanation. There was _something _not quite right about it, but that sense was so elusive that Walburga could not grasp a specific point with which to take issue. "And what '_information_' did Mr. Snape have that stood to cause you such trouble?"

Sirius shrugged. "I didn't ask him. To begin, there's nothing going on that he _could _have discovered. I believed at the time – and still do – that it was nothing more than an empty threat born of his jealousy over Ofelia. Look, Snape and I have never gotten along; he's always been a thorn in my side. I suppose I just reached my limit this time and I acted before I thought about the consequences." _That part's truer than she knows._

"I see," Walburga sat back in her chair and folded her bejeweled hands in her lap. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me?"

_Keep it together for this part, Black._ "You should be pleased to hear that my friends whom you've so despised for the past five years are my friends no longer. They are tired of my continued hatred of Snape and this was, for them, the last straw. They have given me the boot, as they say."

"_All _of them? The Muggle girl, Evans and the traitor Morgan?" Walburga's face was almost frightening in her triumph.

"All of them," he confirmed quietly, keeping his face expressionless. "And so, you see, I have no friends, I have no Quidditch; I devote my time to studying and attending classes."

"You could, of course, cultivate friendships within Slytherin," his mother observed. "Those are the students more in keeping with your station – with _our _way of life."

"I am finding that my studies require a great deal of my time, Mother. I actually enjoy them. I never realized how friendships take time away from other pursuits," he said. _Merlin, let me out of this room before I _crack!_ I don't know how much longer I can do this. _

"Well, well, well, my son," a slow smile formed on Walburga's lips as she considered her elder son. "It would appear that whatever this matter involved, it has given you a much better attitude toward your place in our world; toward your responsibilities. One can only hope that this change will assist us in securing another marriage arrangement for you. Your previous reputation has made our efforts very difficult indeed."

"I had hoped that perhaps we could avoid another contract," Sirius said.

"It is your duty to marry someone worthy of you – of _us_ and our name – and continue the Black line. You _will _fulfill that duty," Walburga said, her voice cold. "Make no mistake, Sirius; I may be impressed with the path you have so recently chosen, but you are not absolved from your responsibilities to this family. You will continue to toe the line with us, my son. The consequences of not doing so will be severe, as you have already experienced. And, I can assure you, if you do not conduct yourself appropriately _this _time, Dumbledore will not get here in time to do you any good!"

Sirius' blood ran cold at both her words and her expression. He had no doubt that his mother meant business. He would be obligated to go along with whatever she and his father dictated or, as she implied, she'd kill him.

"May I be excused?" Suddenly, escaping this room – her – was imperative.

"Until dinner," Walburga nodded.

Sirius rose and walked toward the door. As his hand closed around the door handle, his mother's voice reached him again. "We will begin receiving replies to our overtures for contract negotiations with several pureblood families with daughters of an appropriate age. You had best hope that there are some positive responses in the mix, my son. If your father and I are unable to finalize a successful marriage for the heir to the Black family fortune, the consequences for you will be particularly … _difficult_."

"Yes, Mother," he said quietly and, when no sound was forthcoming, he slipped through the door and closed it quietly behind him.

XXXXXXXX

The next two weeks passed without incident for both Kate and Sirius. Kate's mother had wisely decided to drop any mention of Sirius Black. The result was a very pleasant time of conversation, shopping for Felicity's upcoming trip and on one afternoon, a trip to Muggle cinema for a comedy that had both women laughing aloud.

At No. 12 Grimmauld Place, only two responses to Walburga's contract overtures had been received. In both cases, the witches in question had already been committed to other pureblood wizards. As Sirius had no bearing on Walburga's lack of success with these families, there were no repercussions for him. Sirius hoped, although he did not realistically expect, that this trend continued.

One evening, at dinner, Orion announced that he would be leaving in two days' time for Paris, for a series of 'business meetings'. Rather than Floo home each evening, he had taken a suite of rooms at a hotel in the Wizarding section of the great city and would stay in Paris for the duration. Secretly, Sirius hoped that Walburga would accompany her husband but when she suggested it over dessert, Orion had promptly nixed the idea. As he explained, there would be little time for him to socialize and Walburga would only be bored. Orion promised his wife that the two of them would take some time and return to Paris once the boys were back in school. Seemingly mollified, Walburga brought dinner to a conclusion with liqueurs and dismissed her sons to their own entertainment.

"Mother seemed to be alright with the fact that Father wouldn't take her to Paris with him," Regulus commented.

Sirius, who had been privy to such scenes in the past, realized that their dismissal most likely meant that Walburga wanted to pursue the matter further, but he refrained from sharing that with his brother. "Well, he promised her that he'd take her another time, right? That probably satisfied her."

He left Regulus off at his door and crossed to his own room, closing and locking the door behind him once he was inside. Seating himself at his desk, Sirius reached for a book on Herbology, sighing when something fluttered from one of the pages to the floor. As he bent to retrieve it, Sirius' breath caught when he realized that it was a photograph – a fairly recent shot of the four Marauders, lounging before the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room. Taken just after the situation with Ofelia had resolved itself, the four looked as relaxed as Sirius could ever remember being. Remus and Peter were playing Wizard's Chess while James and Sirius were seated on the sofa, casually talking and laughing. Sirius recalled that Kate had received a magical camera for Christmas and finally decided to photograph people rather than the landscape shots she'd been capturing since her return to school. This was her first such picture. They had driven her mad with their exaggerated poses and refusal to 'just be natural' so she had stalked off in a temper. She'd come back awhile later, though and had caught them all unaware. When she presented Sirius with the photograph, he had been surprised at how well it had come out - and how much it meant to him to have it. He was never more appreciative of the photo than he was at this moment.

Sirius drank in the details of his friends' faces and mannerisms, startled when the images waved at him from their seats. Sirius' vision blurred and he put his head down on the top of his desk and allowed the emotions he had held in for so long to overtake him. Sobs wracked his body as he thought back to all that had happened over the past two months. He'd had his mates and they'd have done anything for each other – until he did something so stupid that he lost them all. Instead of being true to _them_ – to _Remus _– he'd betrayed their trust. He'd finally fallen victim to his true instincts; he'd behaved as a typical Black and now it was all over. No matter how many times Sirius told himself that they were better off without him, he knew that _he_ was lost without _them_. The depth of the emotional release left Sirius completely spent and, before long, he closed his eyes and heard nothing until the following morning, when Regulus knocked on the door to collect him for breakfast. Sirius sat up, wincing at the sharp pain that shot through his back as he did so.

"Be right there, Reg," he called, rising from the chair and stretching. Looking down, he saw the picture, slightly crumpled where his head had lay on it the night before. Sirius picked it up carefully and placed it gently on the open Herbology textbook. Closing the heavy tome, he replaced it on the shelf and made his way to the bathroom. It might not be a _formal _meal, but Walburga expected her sons to be presentable at her breakfast table and he needed a shower.

XXXXXXXX

"Well, we're going to be delayed a week," Felicity said, setting aside the parchment as Kate broke up a slice of bacon and offered the small pieces to the lovely white owl perched on the edge of the table.

"What's wrong?" she asked as Felicity drew out a fresh piece of parchment from the stationery box and proceeded to write a reply.

"Melanie tripped in her garden and broke her ankle. The healers mended the bone, but they want her to rest for a few days before she leaves for her trip. She's changed the Port key and hotel reservations, and needed to let me know, obviously," Felicity rolled up the parchment and called softly for the owl. Once she had secured the message and sent him on his way with a pat, Felicity looked at her daughter. "Garden gnomes! We've told her several times to have an extermination wizard come by and rid her garden of the dratted things. But, no! She says they amuse her cats and keep them out from under her feet."

Kate couldn't help but laugh. "Ironic, that! Cats probably chased them right into her path!"

Felicity joined her daughter in a good chuckle before throwing her hands in the air. "Ah, well, it's all as should be, I suppose. I have an extra week with _you _this way."

Kate smiled fondly at her mother. "There. That's the silver lining, isn't it? What _shall _we do with ourselves?"

"The theater, perhaps?" Felicity offered.

"Sounds like fun. We can do a matinee and high tea at the Ritz, if you fancy Muggle London," Kate suggested. One of the things she truly loved about her mother was her sense of adventure – when Felicity chose to indulge it. The younger witch wasn't certain if it was Felicity's guilt at being away during the bulk of Kate's holiday or her determination not to ruin their time with talk of Sirius, but Felicity was definitely pulling out all the stops.

"And the rest of the week will take care of itself," Felicity said.

She did not realize then how true that statement would be.

XXXXXXXX

Orion had been gone for two days when Sirius detected a subtle change in Walburga's mood. She was, as he suspected, livid with her husband for leaving her behind – making the judgment that she would be 'bored' rather than allowing her to make the decision on her own. Each evening, with increased indulgence in the superb cognac that graced the Black stores, her behavior and temperament became increasingly erratic.

At dinner that evening, Walburga was strangely silent until the main course had been cleared and coffee ordered and brought to the table.

"Regulus, you may be excused," his mother murmured as she poured a touch of cognac into her coffee. With an anxious look at his brother, Regulus quickly took his leave.

Sirius sipped his coffee, ignoring the small, gnawing sense of foreboding in his stomach as he watched his mother rise and move to the sideboard against the far dining room wall.

Walburga unlocked the center drawer and withdrew a sizable stack of parchment from its depths. Securing the drawer once again, she walked slowly to the table and reclaimed her seat.

"Do you know what I have here?" she asked, her charcoal gray eyes glittering at her son.

"No, Mother," Sirius lied. He did, in fact, have a very good idea what those parchments represented. A moment later, he was proven correct.

"These are over one dozen replies to our inquiries about finding a suitable marital arrangement for you," she replied. "How many of them do you think are interested in the opportunity?"

"Very few?" he ventured.

"_None_," came the reply. "And do you know what that means?"

Sirius clenched his hands in his lap as he shook his head.

"Well, Sirius, it means that there is no pureblood family that will have you – including our own cousins, with whom we have always inter-married. You have associated yourself with filth for so long that you have become filth yourself. Every one of these replies is filled with stories about your behavior at school, your failure to acknowledge your ancestry, your pureblood history and your penchant for aligning yourself with _Dumbledore_, and with his House. Those who travel in our circle are full of such tales, brought to them by those whose children have witnessed them first hand. You delight in taunting your cousins and their friends in the House to which Blacks have belonged for centuries – the House into which _you _should have been Sorted, as well. You have tried to convince me these past weeks that you were no longer the proud little lion, but had embraced your heritage and been shunned by your former, Mudblood-loving friends for it. Oh, so respectful and courteous have you been, my son, but I am not fooled. Eduard Bullstrode and his wife invited me to tea this afternoon; did you know that?"

Sirius felt his stomach clench and again he shook his head.

"Darling Ofelia was there, with her _fiancé_, a charming and very wealthy young wizard named Michael Delacour. I'm told that you know him quite well, although I must say that Ofelia did everything in her power to stop him from saying anything in my presence. Oh, Eduard wanted to _apologize_ to me for the unkind comments he made about you when the marriage contract was broken. He accused you of being the most wanton and perverse of creatures, to indulge in indiscriminate relations with witches beneath _our _station, in total disregard for the reputation and feelings of his daughter. But, as he realized recently, he was quite _wrong_ about you. When Ofelia made her condition known, you assisted her in meeting with the father; you've protected her from derision from members of her own House by pretending to ignore her, pretending to have washed your hands of her. How _noble _of you, the Bullstrodes cooed. Whilst they were most unhappy with your methods they seem to find _honor_ in your behavior. I find no _honor _in your behavior, Sirius; there is no _honor _in a wizard who would knowingly embark on a campaign to negate a contract between two families. Oh, and your touching little story about Severus Snape? Well, apparently, Ofelia was aware of the truth of the matter concerning your difficulties at school in April. You colored the truth just a bit when you explained the matter to me, didn't you? Severus Snape had threatened to go to Dumbledore with the news that _you _had fathered Ofelia Bullstrode's child, didn't he? _That_ was the reason you hexed him. You acted to protect her honor – which is, of course, questionable at best given that she was pregnant when we entered into the marriage contract with her family. So, I can add deception to the list of your transgressions. Hexing Severus Snape was the only Slytherin-worthy thing you've done, but there is little cause to celebrate; you are definitely _not _Slytherin!" Walburga rose, the parchment clutched in her hand and made her way unsteadily down the length of the table, her intended destination the opposite end, where Sirius occupied Orion's traditional seat. She had insisted he take her husband's place in Orion's absence, as befitted their heir. Halfway there, she stopped, glaring at Sirius and leaning against the table.

"Every single one of these replies mentions your broken engagement and the shame your behavior has brought to two families: the Bullstrodes and our own. Here, let me read one or two aloud to you, to ensure that you fully understand how dismal your situation truly is. Walburga began to read what to Sirius appeared to be a particularly lengthy diatribe, but he tuned her out.

He thought back to Walburga's earlier comments. _I have always walked away from everything that has to do with pureblood tradition. I didn't even hex Snape, the one lie she believes that's made her even remotely happy. I'm _not _like them – any of them. Just because I have their blood in my veins doesn't make me a Black. I betrayed Remus because I was stupid and didn't think, but before that, I protected him for five years. I became an Animagus for him. A Black wouldn't do that. I was afraid and grasped at the first thing I thought of to do. I hated Snape and I let my actions be dictated by that hatred – and my own stupidity. Doesn't make me my mother's son; it doesn't make me a _Black _in every sense of the name. _

"Sirius! I am speaking to you!" his mother's shrill voice permeated his thoughts and he jerked his head up to look at her.

"Yes?"

"You have thrown yourself in with the House of Godric Gryffindor; you have denied your heritage and your name. _You are not a Black!_" Walburga threw the thick stack of parchment at her son's head.

In that moment, despite the resolution of nothing between himself and his friends – and Kate – Sirius felt lighter than he had in over two months. He stood up from his chair and came around to face his mother, the sneer on his face equal to hers.

"_No shit!_"

He paused for a moment then started to turn to leave the room. There was a gasp, a muted snarl and the sound of a wand cutting through the air. He had no time to react.

"_Crucio!_"

His mother's curse immediately overtook his body, slamming Sirius to the floor in a burst of exquisite pain the likes of which he had never even imagined existed. Almost as quickly as it began, it was over and he was left panting in the aftershocks.

"_Crucio!_"

His veins felt as if they were filled with molten lava and muscles seized with the force of the agony coursing through him. Again, it stopped seconds later and he opened his eyes.

Walburga was on her knees beside him, her face horrible in its obvious delight. "Let us make certain this is a memory you take to your grave, shall we? _CRUCIO!_"

Sirius felt his teeth sink into his tongue and his mouth filled with a metallic taste. He shuddered uncontrollably as the pain reached into his toes, to the ends of his fingers and behind his eyes. He felt warmth in the front of his trousers and realized, dimly, that he had lost control of his bladder. He couldn't bring himself to care.

"_Finite!_"

Again, it stopped and through the rushing sound in his ears, Sirius heard the uneven _click, click_ of his mother's heels on the parquet floor. He felt a cold rush of air as the dining room door was thrown open and Walburga swept into the hall. Sirius heard her open the door of the tapestry room and the wild shriek of "_Incendio!_" Manic laughter filled the room and the smell of singed wool rent the air. Hurried footsteps told of her flight through the hallway, presumably to her own room three floors above.

Sirius lay there, fighting the blackness that threatened the edges of his vision. He focused on the gold napkin ring lying beneath his chair and, fixing his gaze on that object, fought to breathe deeply, to take back control of his body. After a time – he didn't know how long – the shaking slowed to periodic spasms and Sirius gingerly tried to sit up. As he did so, the pattern of the carpet swam before him and nausea overcame him. He vomited until he didn't think there was a thing left in him, but refused to lie back down. He had to get out of this house.

Sirius waited several long moments then raised himself to his knees, supporting his weight on the back of a dining room chair. On one shaky foot at a time, he rose, the pain resurging to an intensity that had him doubled over. He remained in that position until he felt it subside and he fully straightened. Despite the shaking of his hands, Sirius picked up the water pitcher and rinsed out his mouth, spitting the blood onto his mother's carpet then taking a long drink from the contents that remained. His hands shook so badly that he soaked himself, but he managed to drink enough to purge the taste from his mouth.

Sirius let go the dining room chair and waited a moment to ensure that he could move without falling. Slowly, he made his way through the open door and up the first flight of stairs to his room. He calculated that the trip took over ten minutes given the slow pace he was forced to maintain. Sirius stripped off his soiled robe and pulled on another. He took piles of clothing and threw them in his book bag, then he grabbed the Herbology text from the shelf, flipping pages until he found the picture of himself with his friends and stuffed it in his pocket. Grabbing his broom, he paused as the sweat poured off his face and the shaking began to course through his body again. When he felt he had more control, Sirius shoved his hand in his trouser pocket and felt for the scrap of parchment he had carried since he left Hogwarts. He looked at the address she had written and knew he had to get there. Tonight. Now. He hoped she meant what she'd said to him outside the Pitch that day. _I don't have anywhere else to go_, he thought, feeling the emotions begin to overwhelm him again. _I can't do this now; I can't lose it until I'm out of here. _

Pulling himself together, Sirius walked out of the room and down the staircase. He heard no sound from the dining room, but his fear of his mother's reappearance didn't allow him to check to see if she'd come back. He walked as quickly as he could toward the door and, as he reached it, he heard her.

"If you leave this house, you are never to return," she said.

Sirius turned to see her clutching the cognac bottle in one hand and gripping the railing in the other as she made a very unsteady descent down the staircase.

"I don't plan to _ever _come back here," he shot back, shocked at how raw his voice sounded.

"You are no longer a Black," she screeched.

"I never was," he threw back and then he was gone.

Outside, Sirius began to mount his broom on the walkway in front of the house, but then thought better of it. He couldn't risk that Walburga would make it down the stairs and come outside after him. He made his shaky way down the street to the alley where he, Regulus and their father had Apparated almost 2 weeks before. Sirius tried to secure his backpack more tightly on his shoulder, but the pain from his mother's curse began to make itself felt when he did so. Choosing instead to grip it as tightly as he could and hope for the best, Sirius mounted the broom and tried to kick off and get airborne. His legs refused to cooperate. After fifteen futile minutes with no success, and tired of looking over his shoulder in fear of Walburga's sudden appearance, Sirius walked out into the street and extended his right hand.

_Bang!_ A loud explosion was followed by the appearance of a bright purple, double-decker bus. A pudgy wizard wheezed his way down the steps and announced the arrival of the Knight Bus. Sirius nodded and handed the older man a handful of coins and showed him the address on the now-crumpled piece of paper clutched in his hand.

The wizard stepped aside and allowed him to pass. Sirius barely had time to settle on the edge of one of the beds before, with another _bang _and a lurch, the bus sped off into the night.

Almost before he knew it, the bus screeched to a halt before a small house on the opposite side of London. Sirius dragged himself to his feet and negotiated the steps down to the pavement. He walked to the foot of the stairs leading to a polished front door and stood, weaving slightly. Sweat was once again pouring down his face and he couldn't immediately identify any part of his body that _didn't _hurt. He stood, catching his breath for a few moments, then moved forward and, slowly, up the stairs.

Shifting his broom, Sirius raised his hand to the brass door knocker and lifted it, letting it fall back on its plate. He leaned against the railing, listening for any sound from within that would indicate he'd been heard. Suddenly, the door opened and he caught his breath at the sight of Kate standing before him, her initial look of shock morphing to horror as she looked at his now shaking form.

"_Sirius!_"

"I don't have anywhere to go, Katie," he croaked out, starting to sway in earnest.

Kate moved off the doorstep and put her arm around Sirius' waist to help steady him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know where else to go."

"Shh," she said softly. When she realized he wasn't really focusing on her any longer, she raised her voice, turning her head toward the doorway. "Mother!"

"Kate? Kate – oh, my _word – _Kate, who?" Felicity moved quickly to help her daughter with the young wizard who was obviously suffering from some injury.

Sirius did as much as he could to walk, but in the end, Kate and Felicity half dragged him to the sofa in the living room, and helped him to lie down.

"Mum, this is Sirius Black," Kate murmured. "Remember what you said when I told you about his home life? I would think that this would be proof enough."

Their eyes met and then Felicity looked down at the young man lying on her sofa.

"More than enough," she replied.


	44. The Truth of Who I Am

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 44 – The Truth of Who I Am

Sirius opened his eyes and, not recognizing his surroundings, felt himself tense. _Where…? _His eyes darted around the dimly lit room. _Well, not Grimmauld Place, anyway; definite improvement there._ Sirius groggily searched his memory and suddenly, he had it; he'd left Grimmauld Place. He was at Kate's. He tried to move and winced as what had been a dull ache in the small of his back sharpened. Sirius closed his eyes against it.

"Hey, lie still."

Sirius' eyes flew open again and, this time, his gaze fell on the owner of that soft voice. _Kate._

"How long have I …?" Sirius' voice was barely a rasp and he stopped, coughing to try to clear it.

"Hmm; throat's a bit sore, isn't it? Hang on; I have something that might help. How long have you been sleeping?" At his nod, Kate continued, "You've been asleep for about eight hours; it's still very early yet. Here, see if you can drink some of this," Kate slid her arm beneath his neck gently, helping to tilt his head upward. She placed a straw to his lips and Sirius took a long drink of ice cold water, swallowing gingerly.

"Enough?"

He nodded and Kate withdrew her arm so he could rest more comfortably. Before she could move away, however, Sirius raised his hand to capture hers. "Don't go."

Kate entwined their fingers. "I'm not going anywhere." She sat in an overstuffed chair she'd dragged to the couch.

"You've been here all night, haven't you?" He still held her hand tightly.

Kate nodded. "I didn't want to leave you alone." She nodded her head at the sofa. "It's not really a proper bed, but we couldn't move you any further last night." She squeezed his hand gently.

Sirius returned the pressure weakly. "That was your mum, wasn't it? Last night – the other woman."

"Yes, that was my mother. She went to bed a few hours ago," Kate confirmed.

Sirius' blue eyes searched her face. "Katie, I don't want to make things difficult for you. I came here because … look, I've left home; I can't go back there – not ever. I didn't have anywhere to go and I had that piece of paper you gave me with your address on it and … really, I didn't …" he felt himself becoming more agitated as he spoke.

"Shhh," Kate brushed the hair away from his damp brow. "I'm glad you turned up, really. You're not making anything difficult for me, I promise you." She paused, still stroking his hair softly and, under her caress, Sirius felt himself begin to relax. He heard Kate's light chuckle. "Besides, after last night, I think my mother would magically restrain you from going back to that house."

Sirius looked away from her. "You're lucky, Katie; she's a kind woman, your mother."

Kate looked at his profile and all that he had told her after the holiday came rushing back to her.

"_She_ did this to you, didn't she?" Kate whispered. "It's just like Christmas, isn't it?"

"Not like Christmas, Kate," Sirius whispered. He felt himself begin to tremble as the events of the previous night came back to him. "She used a belt at Christmas."

Kate shivered. "What did your mother use last night?"

Sirius opened his eyes and looked at her. "The _Cruciatus Curse_."

Kate was horrified. "She used an _Unforgivable_ on her _own son_?!"

"She doesn't consider me her son," he replied. "She told me I wasn't a Black."

Kate leaned down and kissed his forehead gently. "And _you're not_. It's a bit ironic, isn't it? Your _mother_ is the one who finally convinces you how wrong you've been over the past couple of months."

"I'm so sorry, Katie," he whispered, squeezing her hand. "There's so much you don't even know about what happened….with Remus."

"I know, but leave it for now. You've enough to deal with at the moment," Kate kissed him again then sat back in her chair. "How are you going to handle what happened?"

Sirius furrowed his brow. "What do you mean? I handled it; I left."

"Sirius, your mother used an _Unforgivable Curse_, which is illegal in and of itself. That she used it on her own son adds another whole dimension to it. She can be arrested; she can be sent to Azkaban."

Sirius shook his head violently. "No! Nothing would happen to her and she'd find some way to … no. There's nothing to be done. It's over."

Privately, Kate disagreed with him, but she held her tongue. His emotions were still very close to the surface and he was still suffering some of the physical after-effects of the _Cruciatus_. There would be time to approach this again at a later date.

"Would you like some tea?" Kate asked.

Sirius shook his head. "No, thanks."

"Why don't you try and get some sleep, then? Mum said that it's what your body needs most right now to heal," Kate suggested, curling her legs under her and settling deeper into the cushions of the chair.

"You should go to bed; you can't rest properly there," Sirius said, looking over at her.

"Don't worry about _me_," she smiled. "I'll be fine. Now, close your eyes or I'll call my mother and tell her you're being _uncooperative_."

Sirius smiled softly at her, then closed his eyes and was asleep moments later.

XXXXXXXX

When next he awakened, Sirius was alone. Remembering his body's earlier, painful reaction to sudden movement, he began slowly stretching his muscles: first his legs, then his arms, fingers, shoulders and neck. When the movements were met with only slight twinges here and there, he carefully shifted until he was in a more upright position against the pillows. _Not too bad, then_, he mused. _Still dizzy, but – all things considered – that's not too bad at all. _

"Awake, are you?"

Sirius turned in the direction of the voice and his gaze rested on a tall, red-haired woman standing in the doorway at the opposite end of the room.

"I am – finally," he said, watching her as she walked over to the chair where Kate had been seated last he saw her.

"I sent her to bed awhile ago," Felicity said, nodding her head toward the chair. "May I?"

"Please."

She settled herself and held out her hand. "Felicity Morgan, Kate's mother."

Sirius took her hand in his and held it for a moment. "Sirius Black."

"Yes, I know. How are you feeling?" Felicity leaned forward and rested the backs of her fingers against Sirius' forehead then slid them down to rest against his cheek. "Hmm; cooler. I suspected that you might have been running a bit of a fever earlier."

"Mrs. Morgan, I want to thank you for taking me in last night. You didn't have to and, given my family and the fact that I suspect you know who _they _are, you probably had second thoughts," Sirius said quietly.

"I have a small confession to make, Mr. Black," Felicity began.

"Sirius."

Felicity smiled. "_Sirius_, then. I _do_ have some past acquaintance with your family and my experience was not completely positive. I'm afraid that when Kate first mentioned you at Christmas, I was very – _definite_ – in my response to her. I judged you based on your name; based on my own experiences with your family of which you were no part. I didn't listen to my daughter when she tried to tell me the truth of things. I was wrong to judge you on your name alone and I regret it. I hope you can forgive me."

Sirius' eyes had grown very wide by the time Felicity finished speaking. Finally, he shook his head. "There's nothing to forgive, Mrs. Morgan. You were just reacting to what you knew. But, I appreciate what you said; thank you."

Both were silent for a while then Sirius spoke again. "I'm _not_ like them, you know. I _don't_ believe the things they believe in. Although," he shifted uncomfortably, "something happened at school this year that made me believe I was more like them than I realized. Kate tried talking to me and I wouldn't listen." He looked at Felicity with a wry smile on his face. "It seems you and I have that in common."

Felicity returned his smile. "What made you change your mind?"

"Oddly enough, my mother – and everything that happened last night. I am _not _like her," he said, fervently. "I could _never_ be like _her_."

Felicity rose and sat on the edge of the sofa, taking the young wizard's hand in both of hers and squeezing gently. "Kate told me what happened last night, Sirius. I'm so sorry; no child should have to suffer _any_ pain at the hand of a parent, much less what you have endured. I don't understand how a parent can do that to their own child."

Sirius felt his throat constrict and he could not immediately speak. Felicity was aware of his discomfort and, not wishing to cause any more, gently placed his hands on the blanket and reclaimed her chair. After several moments, Sirius cleared his throat and turned to the older witch. "Thank you."

She nodded. "Are you hungry?"

Sirius remembered the night before and shook his head. "No, thank you. I was sick before I left ho – before I left Grimmauld Place last night. My stomach still feels off."

Felicity rose. "And that is most likely because it has nothing in it. Now, I am going to ask Goldie to fix you up a pot of tea and some dry toast. You will – slowly - take as much of both as you can. I think you'll find yourself very much improved once you've put something on your stomach."

Sirius found himself able to do nothing more than agree and so Felicity disappeared into the kitchen, leaving him to his own thoughts.

XXXXXXXX

Later in the day, Sirius moved to a guestroom on the 2nd floor of the Morgan house. Felicity's prediction that his stomach was merely empty proved true and while still feeling random aches and pains, Sirius was much improved. A long, hot shower and a clean set of robes eliminated most of the remaining body aches and by evening, Sirius felt sufficiently recovered to take dinner with the family in the kitchen.

To ensure that Sirius did not feel out of place, dinner for everyone consisted of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Sirius knew that the Morgans most likely usually ate in their more formal dining room – and enjoyed a bit more of an upscale menu as well. He appreciated that they had probably chosen a smaller, more relaxed setting to avoid reminders of the evening before. While not something they should have worried about, Sirius couldn't help but be touched by the gesture.

Conversation initially sputtered in fits and starts as the participants adjusted to the unfamiliar dynamic, but eventually they became more comfortable and touched on topics ranging from O.W.L.s – and guesswork about grades, end of term in general and, finally Felicity's upcoming trip. Sirius froze. If Kate's mother was leaving, there would be no chance he could remain here alone with Kate. _James doesn't consider me his friend, nor do Peter and – well, best not to think about Remus. _The absolute coldness with which Remus treated Sirius' presence was something Sirius still could not bring himself to contemplate.

"Sirius?"

Kate's voice brought him out of his thoughts and Sirius realized that he was gripping his spoon so hard, his knuckles had gone white. He gently set the utensil back in the bowl and looked over at the young witch.

"Sorry?" He managed.

"Mum and I were asking if you had already made plans for the rest of the summer," Kate said.

_Plans? No; I've no one to make plans _with_, Katie. _"No, but I'll start working on it and see what I can come up with," his voice trailed off as he saw the puzzled expressions on both Morgans' faces.

"Sirius, Mum is leaving Goldie here to look after me while she's away. I wasn't certain of my own plans for the summer; I'd originally thought of visiting with Lily, but I've spoken with her today and we've got an idea or two that might scrap that plan," Kate told him, hoping she sounded off-handed enough not to arouse his curiosity.

"Sirius, there would be rules that would have to be observed, but if you were willing to remain here – at least for a little while – Goldie could look after you both and, of course, act as chaperone until summer plans are finalized – and, naturally, discussed with me beforehand," Felicity spoke up, glancing at Kate, who nodded. "You've been through a great deal in the past couple of days. I think it would be far better to consider your options carefully rather than rush into something that really doesn't suit you." Felicity did not add that Kate had shared a bit of what had happened with James, Peter and Remus – minus the news of Remus' condition, of course, and the fact that Sirius truly did _not _have many options. Together, with Lily brought in after the fact, mother and daughter had come up with a possible alternative that might assist him. Kate suspected that it might take a few days to convince Sirius to go along with it.

Sirius felt enormous gratitude slide over him, replacing the sense of panic that had taken hold at the news of Felicity's impending holiday. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Thank you," he said finally, opening his eyes to look at Felicity. "Thank you very much. I promise that I'll behave and conduct myself properly while I'm here."

Kate chuckled, noting the slight upturn of one corner of his mouth as Sirius made his promise. "You'd better," she said, picking up her spoon. "Goldie is _not _to be trifled with. She packs a mean punch!"

Sirius looked startled for a moment and then smiled as he picked up his sandwich. "I'll keep that in mind."

XXXXXXXX

Felicity pulled the light sheet over her and settled back against her bed pillows, finger marking the place in the novel she was reading. Glancing around the room, she smiled. Her trunk was packed to near bursting and her traveling costume – new – hung neatly on her closet door. Her long-awaited holiday would begin in the morning, now that Melanie had completely recovered from her unfortunate accident.

Felicity had finally finished her 'to do' list that evening, had enjoyed a leisurely bath and now planned to read until she was too sleepy to continue. Before she knew it, the morning would come and her summer adventure would begin. It had been such a long time since she'd had a holiday; the last had occurred when Roderick was still alive.

As she opened her book, she heard the sound of a light baritone chuckle from one floor below. As her room was directly over the parlor, Felicity knew that Kate and Sirius must still be up talking. Felicity glanced at her bedside clock. It was just half-ten. Early yet for them; she suspected they observed far later hours while at school. Her mind wandered back to earlier in the week and the night that Orion Black's son had appeared on her doorstep. Battered, obviously ill, the boy had been nothing like Felicity had envisioned. There was nothing Dark about him at all – and certainly nothing menacing; he was simply a young man who had suffered an unimaginable abuse at the hands of his own mother. Felicity wondered where Orion fit into the picture; surely, even as cruel a man as she knew him to be, he would not condone the outright physical mistreatment of his elder son at the hands of his own wife! Felicity sighed, turning her attention to her book once again. _Perhaps helping Sirius – in whatever small capacity she was able – might help her feel that she was striking a blow against the family that had caused so much pain in her own life. _

"Mother?" Kate's face peeped round the now-open door. "Am I bothering you?"

Felicity smiled. "Of course not, darling. Come in."

Kate slipped into the room, closing the door behind her. She climbed onto the bed and sat close to her mother. "I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for Sirius. Based on what you told me at Christmas, I know how you feel about his family. It can't have been easy for you to see him standing on the steps the other night."

"As I told Sirius, I saw a young man who had been treated very badly; how could we not help him? I _did _tell him that I had pre-judged him and that I'd been very wrong to do that. Did he tell you?" Felicity picked up Kate's hand and held it as she waited for her answer.

Kate was surprised. "No, he hasn't mentioned a thing. You didn't tell him …"

"About your father? No, it's not down to me to say a thing to Sirius. Provided the boy ever speaks to him again, that's Orion's tale to tell," Felicity responded. "I sincerely hope that Sirius doesn't have the opportunity to learn about it. He's dealt with enough from his family."

"I agree. And, now, a moment of sheer stupidity has taken his 'safe haven', his friends. I can only hope they can resolve their differences, or Sirius is going to be a very lonely wizard when the new term arrives," Kate said.

"You said that he just about cut himself off from everyone the last couple of months," Felicity commented. "He's punished himself fairly severely for whatever it was that he did to them. Hopefully, they'll come to the conclusion that they've also punished him enough." She paused for a moment. "Kate, you know, we really should contact someone to let them know where Sirius is. I hesitate to contact his parents, given the circumstances. Should we send an owl to Professor Dumbledore, instead?"

Kate shook her head. "I'll speak with Sirius tomorrow. I agree that someone else should know, but it really _is _up to him to make that decision. I think the Headmaster is the logical choice; we'll see what he thinks." Kate leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. "I should get to bed and let you rest as well. What time do you leave in the morning?"

Felicity smiled. "Early, I'm afraid. Melanie is calling for me at 8. Don't feel that you have to get up to see me off, darling. Stay in bed and sleep if you can."

Kate rose and walked toward the door. "Don't be silly. I'll get up and have tea with you before she gets here. Sleep well, Mum; I love you."

"I love you, too, Kate. If I see you in the morning, that will be lovely."

Kate smiled and slipped out into the hallway, closing the door softly behind her.

Felicity stared after her for a moment longer then looked down at the still-closed novel in her lap. Deciding that she didn't need to read to become sleepy, she put the book on her bed table, turned off her light and settled down in her bed. She was asleep moments later.

XXXXXXXX

As it turned out, both Sirius and Kate were up in sufficient time to see Felicity off on her trip. When it was time for her to leave, Sirius thanked her again for her kindness and wished her safe travels; he was stunned when she closed the distance between them and hugged him gently.

"You take care of yourself, Mr. Black," she said, stepping back and patting his cheek with her gloved hand. "And I hope you come back and stay with us again – under better circumstances, of course."

Sirius nodded and disappeared into the parlor while Kate bid her mother goodbye. After a time, Kate joined him, coming into the room to find the young wizard standing in front of the large picture window that overlooked the street. Kate walked up beside him and leaned against his arm. "Alright?"

Sirius nodded. "You?"

"Never better," came her reply and she leaned up and kissed his cheek gently.

"Where's Goldie?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kate chuckled. "In the kitchen, busy with the dishes. Would you like to go and visit her?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, but if you would let me, I would very much like to give you a proper kiss – and I'd like to do it without risk of a frying pan to my head."

Kate smiled. "I think a kiss would be allowed."

Sirius leaned down and gently touched his lips to hers. When he would have pulled away, Kate prolonged the kiss by pressing her own lips more firmly to his. After a moment, mindful of where they were, Sirius took a step backward, out of Kate's embrace.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "There have been times over the past two months when I never thought I'd do that again."

Kate searched his face for a moment then reached for his hand. "Can we talk for a bit?"

She both saw and felt him tense at her request. She squeezed his hand lightly. "It's ok; I promise." She tugged his hand and he followed her to the sofa.

"Listen, I want to tell you about a conversation I had with Lily a couple of days ago," Kate began.

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise but he said nothing.

"Lily is going up to James' next Thursday to spend the weekend with his family here in London and then join them for 2 weeks in Brighton. They've – Mr. and Mrs. Potter, that is – they've suggested that James invite a couple of his other friends to sort of make up a party. They were concerned that there wouldn't be enough "young people" to keep things interesting. Lily's suggested that you and I go with them, as well. My mother thought it would be fun to have a beach holiday and has given me permission to go – without Goldie, since the Potters will be there, as well." Kate paused. Sirius was watching her with a stunned expression on his face. "What do you think?"

"What do I _think_?" his voice was incredulous. "Kate, you _know _that James hates me; that he wants nothing to do with me. He made that very clear at school; you were there – you saw it. How can you think that I would be welcome at his home?"

"What I _saw_ went both ways, Sirius," Kate responded quietly. "Granted, I wasn't privy to your conversations in the dormitory, but I _did _see the way you _all _behaved. When you moved out of the dorm, you sent a very clear signal that you had no desire to be part of them. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have done that; how can I know that for certain? When you disappeared – other than seeing them in class – they began to change. Sirius, I have to believe that if you give them a chance; if you take this opportunity to settle things with James, that things _will_ be resolved between you."

Sirius shook his head. "You didn't see the look in his eyes, Kate. You didn't hear the things he said to me. I don't think things _can _be resolved. And, to be honest with you, I don't think I can take it all over again."

Kate reached over and took his hand. "Sirius, listen to me. You don't know how he will react. _You've_ changed your perspective; you're no longer reacting to this situation in the same way, are you? Isn't it logical to assume that he might have changed as well? Sirius, I know it would be difficult if he behaved as he did before, but wouldn't it be worse to never confront him at all and wonder for the rest of your life if your friendship could have been repaired?"

Sirius remained silent, his head down.

"How many times did you tell me that James was more than your friend; that he was your _brother_? Don't you think _that_ fact alone makes it worth trying?"

Just when Kate thought he'd remain silent and never give in, Sirius looked up at her and Kate caught her breath at the pain and fear in his eyes.

"Alright, Kate; I'll do it."

XXXXXXXX

In a neat little white house in a neat little London suburb, a young, red-haired witch sat at a small desk in her bedroom, reading a Charms text book. A sharp tap on her window caught her attention and she opened it to permit a small, brown owl to hop onto the sill. After taking the rolled parchment from his extended leg, Lily Evans reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a shortbread cookie. She broke it into small pieces which she placed on the corner of her desk for the bird. He nudged her cheek in thanks and began crunching his treat. Lily smiled and opened the note.

"We're _on_. Kate"


	45. The First Step on a Long Road

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 45 – The First Step on a Long Road

The time between Sirius' agreement to Kate's proposal and their actual departure was one of the most volatile of their time together. Sirius vacillated between extremely vocal displays of - by turn – fear, anger and grudging acceptance and sullen periods of shutting himself up in the guest room for hours on end.

"At least it's quieter," Kate said to Lily in a Floo call during one of Sirius' periods of self-confinement. "How's James taking it?"

"I just told him this morning," Lily confessed.

"You just … _this morning_? Lily, you and your parents are picking us up _tomorrow_. This doesn't give James much time to adjust." Kate was aghast, picturing the greeting Sirius was most likely to receive from his friend.

"Oh - and telling Sirius a week ago proved to be so much _better_," Lily replied, dryly. "Listen, James could have gotten it into his head to call the whole thing off if I'd told him any sooner. Even his parents agreed that it was better to wait. Now, it's really too late for him to back out."

Kate nodded, but couldn't help but feel that neither James nor Sirius would benefit from the lack of logic Lily had applied to the situation. "Imagine how difficult things will be for them _both _if James ignores Sirius once we arrive. Not the best plan you've ever had, Lils. I'll ask again: how is James taking it? You _did _rather side-step when I asked the first time."

Lily closed her eyes for a moment then looked back through the Floo at Kate. "He was … _terse_, I suppose is the best word to describe him. You're right; he most likely would have cancelled. Thankfully, his Mum was in the background for his reaction and she reminded him that the invitation had come, indirectly, from them and she had no problem with you and Sirius coming to Brighton with the family."

"Does she know what happened between them?"

Lily shook her head. "No, not in any detail. They only know that James and Sirius had a falling out and it hasn't resolved itself yet. They quite agree that two weeks in Brighton with very few opportunities to be outside each other's company will force them to work it all out." The red-head paused for a moment, uncharacteristic uncertainty crossing her face. "You don't agree?"

Kate sighed. "No, no – I _do_, actually. I'm just concerned for Sirius. Lily, I don't think he can take any more rejection or trauma in his life – particularly from James. He's had more than enough in the past two months to last him a lifetime."

"Kate, it's not that I don't agree with you, but you also have to remember that Sirius _did _rather bring this upon himself. He _did _betray Remus," Lily pointed out.

Kate glanced over her shoulder to ensure the parlor door was still closed. Seeing that it was, she lowered her voice and turned back to the image of her friend in the flames. "I haven't forgotten what Sirius did, Lily – and neither has _he_. Trust me, Sirius _knows _how badly he treated Remus – and of the danger he put all of his friends in. It's something he lives with all the time. He's sick at the thought of facing James tomorrow, so spare me the sanctimonious rhetoric about Sirius making his own problems. It's time for James to decide whether or not Sirius is worth forgiving. It's as plain as that. James must come to terms with everything that's happened and figure out what he wants. You should all be prepared for what might happen if James _can't _forgive him and tells him so while we're in Brighton." Kate spoke fiercely.

Lily's eyes widened in the face of Kate's anger and she sought to undo some of what her words had provoked. "Katie, it could just as easily work out well for them. Without the presence of Remus and Peter – the whole damned school, come to that – it will be just James and Sirius. They'll work it out; I'm positive they will. And we'll be there to help them."

Kate shook her head. "They have to do this on their own, Lily. All we can do is be there to support them if they can't work it out."

"Alright, Katie; suppose they can't resolve their differences. What happens then?"

Kate shrugged. "We leave, I suppose. Sirius agreed that Dumbledore should know that he's no longer at home; that he'll _never _go back to Grimmauld Place. The first thing Dumbledore said was that Sirius could return to school early if need be. Sirius was relieved – very relieved."

Lily sighed. "This isn't going to be as easy as I thought it might be."

Kate smiled. "You thought all you had to do was put them in the same room together and they'd immediately shake hands and make up, did you?"

"I'm not sure that I was _that _naive," Lily replied, "but I'll admit that I thought their better natures would come out without a great deal of prodding."

"There _will _be prodding, Lily. The fact that James hasn't Floo-called Sirius yet tells me that he's still not convinced that Sirius joining the family in Brighton is such a terrific idea." Kate heard footsteps on the stairs. "I have to go; Sirius has finally left 'solitary confinement'."

The two friends quickly made their goodbyes; Kate managed to rise and walk toward the doorway when Sirius appeared.

"Did I hear you talking to someone?" he asked, glancing over Kate's shoulder toward the hearth, which was now dark.

Kate nodded. "Lily called. She wanted to tell us what time we need to be ready tomorrow. Her parents are picking us up in their car – imagine that - and we need to be ready at noon."

Sirius nodded. "I think I'll go for a walk."

"Would you like company?" Kate had an uneasy feeling about Sirius leaving the house, on his own, in his current, unsettled frame of mind.

"No; I'd just like to wander for a bit. I won't be long, Kate," Sirius said, leaning down and kissing her cheek lightly as he walked toward the front door.

"But you don't know your way around this neighborhood," Kate protested feebly.

Sirius turned at the door and gave her an irritated look. "I'm a big boy with a decent sense of direction. I'll be fine. Just in case you're concerned - I think I've reached my limit on running away for one holiday, Kate. You needn't worry; I'll be back."

Kate felt her face flush with heat but she refused to rise to the bait. Instead, she turned and walked back into the parlor without saying a word. A moment later, she heard the front door _click _closed.

XXXXXXXX

On the other side of the door, Sirius paused on the front stoop and took a deep breath. He hadn't meant to speak so sharply to Kate, but after over two months of enforced solitude, Sirius found that he needed at least some time by himself to sort things through. Tomorrow, he would face – what? James, definitely; but who knew where that confrontation would lead. Would they fix their friendship or would the past two months become the status quo? This was definitely one of those times when he needed to be off by himself to ponder a situation.

Sirius quickly descended the few steps to the street and took a right without even thinking. He was unaware of the swiftness of his pace or of the distance that he had soon put between himself and the Morgan house. Sirius' mind was a whirl of thoughts and worries. Since taking up running in the last weeks of the school term, Sirius had learned to take that solitary time to work through his more difficult problems. It might not be running, but the brisk pace he'd set with this walk was likely as close as he would get until returning to Hogwarts.

As he walked, Sirius' thoughts turned first to Dumbledore. _Logical_, he thought. _If things aren't resolved with James, I'm going to need someplace to go until term begins. I can't expect Kate to give up her two weeks at the beach just because I can't stay – _if _I can't stay. _He tried to shake off the feeling of apprehension for the following day's journey and refocus his mind on the Headmaster and the circumstances under which he'd discovered Sirius' situation.

Kate had suggested that the owl notifying Dumbledore of his whereabouts come from him and Sirius agreed. As a result, Dumbledore's response had come only to Sirius – who had chosen _not _to share the entirety of the contents with Kate. It served no purpose to his mind and only reinforced the conditions in which he had so recently lived "at home" in Grimmauld Place. Sirius recalled that while he had not been surprised that Dumbledore had already known where Sirius was currently staying, he had been shocked to read how the Headmaster had learned the detail. Having read the letter several times, Sirius could easily picture the parchment in his mind – the spidery scrawl so vivid in the purple ink Dumbledore favored.

_Sirius_,

As will, no doubt, surprise you, I was aware that you had quit Grimmauld Place on the day after you had done so. It may further surprise you to know that the bearer of this news was none other than your father, who was summoned away from his business in Paris by a very upset member of your family – your brother, Regulus. Given the incident last term – and the nature of your relationships with your friends – I surmised that you might have gone to Miss Morgan's family home. I decided not to act, however, until I heard more. I did not wish to place you in further jeopardy if my supposition was wrong.

_Orion arrived, unannounced, quite early that morning. I must say he was in quite a state as he had been to London first and had been filled in by Regulus as to the details of what had happened. My boy, if even half of what Regulus told Orion is true, I am sorrier than I can say. I will not go into great detail here, as it would be cruel to do so; you do not need to relive the experience again. Suffice to say that Regulus shared your mother's use of the Unforgivable Curse and described what he saw of the after-effects you experienced. Fortunately, Regulus was able to lock himself in his own room and it would appear that your mother was too _indisposed _to bother with him. _

_Your father has requested to meet with you – on neutral ground, of course – in a location and time of your choosing. You need not decide on this matter straight away; your father seems committed to allowing you to initiate contact at your own discretion. While this is entirely your business, Sirius, I recommend that once you return to school, you contact Orion and set up a meeting here. As before, I will be very willing to sit in so that you are not alone with him. However things are left between you, I believe that you need to have this final discussion with your father to give yourself a sense of closure – at the very least. _

_On another note, Orion indicated that you did not pack all of your possessions prior to leaving Grimmauld Place. Regulus has packed your books, the remainder of your clothing and other personal items. Orion brought them here because I believe he thought this was where you had gone. He was surprised and I daresay quite concerned when I told him that I had not heard from you. I would like to suggest, Sirius that you let your father know that you are safe, even if you do not wish to disclose where you are staying. In fact, I believe it would be best _not _to do so. I would be happy to contact Orion on your behalf, reassuring him that you are safe but do not wish anyone to know where you are. He may then reassure your brother, who is very concerned about your condition. Indeed, you may wish to communicate directly with your brother, to reassure him yourself._

_Please know that you are welcome to return to Hogwarts at any time before the new term commences. Of course, this presupposes that you and your friends are unable to work through your current difficulties; I would sincerely hope that you are able to spend your summer in more relaxed surroundings, enjoying the too-short holiday with your friends. Nevertheless, an owl to me will be all that's needed should you elect to return. I am here, as is Professor McGonagall and a variety of other staff members who remained in the castle over the summer holiday – for one reason or another. _

_Please advise me as to your wishes regarding the contacting of your father and brother…_

Sirius had immediately written back to the Headmaster, asking that he contact both Orion and Regulus on his behalf. Sirius did not want to give either of his parents a reason to treat Regulus badly; certainly finding a letter from him directly to his brother would potentially do so. While Sirius had felt a pang of remorse as he wrote his response, he felt a greater sense of security knowing that he was doing what he could to protect his younger brother from a fate similar to his own. _They'll name you the heir Reg_, Sirius had thought as he watched the school owl fly into the sky. _I just hope when the time comes, you're strong enough to pull away from them and be your own man instead of _her _puppet. _

He had then hidden Dumbledore's letter in his backpack and gone downstairs to give Kate the short version of the Headmaster's reply.

Sirius stopped suddenly, something in the periphery of his vision catching his attention. He turned and was surprised to find himself standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius glanced around and located the street sign. _Charing Cross Road_. Had he really walked that far? As he approached the grimy looking door, Sirius shrugged. _All that running must have done some good._

He entered the pub and closed the door behind him, pausing for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting within. The place was virtually empty and a glance at his watch told Sirius why – it was well after 3:00, any lunchtime rush was long over. Sirius nodded at Tom, the bald proprietor who was cleaning glasses behind the bar.

"Hungry?" Tom called out to him as Sirius passed by on his way to the back door.

"No, thanks," he replied. "Just going to stretch my legs a bit in the Alley."

With a nod and a wave, Tom disappeared into the back room and Sirius soon found himself standing before the mosaic of bricks that separated Muggle from Magical London. _Well, the biggest concentration of it, anyway_, Sirius thought as he withdrew his wand and tapped the pattern of bricks that would provide him passage through to Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley was as busy with pedestrian traffic as the Leaky Cauldron had been devoid of it. As Sirius watched, all manner of witches and wizards – some with small children, squeezed past each other in the main mercantile area. Congesting the narrow, cobblestoned street further were shoppers who had already made their purchases – and whose bags bumped and pestered others, hurrying to their own destinations.

Sirius spied Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, which was slightly less crowded than the street. Sirius knew it would fill up soon enough and picked his way through pedestrians until he found himself standing at an empty table outside the white building. _Ice cream for lunch_, he thought, half-smiling. _Well, since there's no one here to tell me I can't – and since I'm starving – I think 2 scoops should just about hit the spot. _Soon enough, Sirius was seated beneath the colorfully striped awning, shaded from the hot summer sun, and happily spooning "Chillingly Chunky Chocolate" into his mouth. Thus engaged, he didn't hear footsteps approach his table and was therefore stunned when a deep voice greeted him from behind.

"May I join you?"

Sirius stopped with a spoonful of ice cream half way from bowl to mouth. Turning his head, he realized that his hearing had not deceived him. Orion Black stood expression unreadable, waiting for _permission_ to join his elder son. Almost without knowing he had done so, Sirius nodded, setting his still-full spoon back in the bowl and waiting for his father to seat himself in the chair opposite his own.

"I didn't realize you were staying in Diagon Alley," Orion began, quietly.

"I'm not. I was taking a walk and wound up here," Sirius replied. "I'm not going to tell you where I'm staying, either; it's pointless for you to ask me."

Orion nodded. "I understand."

Sirius glanced around. "Is anyone with you?" He couldn't bring himself to face Walburga and, if she _had _accompanied his father, he would cut this family visit short straight away.

Orion shook his head. "I am alone. Regulus is visiting school friends in Germany this week."

Sirius remained silent, relieved that he would not have to deal with his mother so soon – and disappointed that he would not see his brother. _Fancy that_.

"What did you want to speak with me about, Father?" _Let's get this over with._

"You probably don't feel much like having dinner with me this evening after …" Orion gestured toward the half-eaten bowl of ice cream across the table.

Sirius shook his head. "I need to get back before people start worrying about me," he said. It was no lie. He knew Kate would be sitting in a window seat somewhere in the house, watching the street for his return.

Orion sighed and Sirius was almost sure he saw a look of regret flit across his father's features. "Alright, Sirius. I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for what happened to you the night you left. The lack of positive response to our offer of a marriage contract put your mother over the edge of reason. She behaved …."

_No,_ Sirius thought. _I won't let him explain her away this time; not this time!_

"She behaved exactly as she's behaved toward me right along," he interrupted, satisfied at the shock on Orion's face. "Well, except for the _Cruciatus_; _that _was new, I'll admit. Whipping me with leather belts and throwing me into a cell in the basement was more her old style, wasn't it? Of course, you know that because you supported the solitary confinement bit, didn't you? Sort of backfired the last time you tried it, though. I suppose she _had _to step up her game a bit after Christmas." Sirius heard the bitterness, the betrayal in his own voice and knew full well who had put it there.

"Your mother is very ill, Sirius," Orion waited until he thought Sirius was finished before he replied. "I have put her in a special hospital outside of Paris to see if they can do something to treat her; to make these episodes stop." At Sirius' surprised look, Orion nodded. "Yes, that is why I couldn't bring her with me on my 'business trip'; I had scheduled meetings with several doctors about her stay and potential treatment. I just didn't think I would be taking her there under duress – and certainly never imagined that it would happen as a result of her use of an _Unforgivable_ against you, son."

The word 'son' brought Sirius out of his surprise – and back to himself. "You can't honestly tell me that you were surprised to hear she'd used an _Unforgivable_ against _me_! Against _Regulus_, certainly – but against _me_? Please. It was just about the only thing she _hadn't _done. You saw her at the meeting with Dumbledore after the Bullstrodes broke the marriage contract! You knew what she was like and still you left me there to deal with her on my own. No," Sirius rose and put his hand up to stop his father from speaking. "There's nothing you can say to explain what's happened." He stepped to the side and carefully pushed his chair back into place against the table. "You wanted to see me and now you have. Take a good look because it's the last one you'll get." Sirius heard his voice begin to shake a bit and he turned to walk away before his emotions got the better of him. He had only taken a couple of steps before he changed his mind and turned back. "_I'm not your son_," Sirius said quietly, looking directly into his father's charcoal eyes, "check the tapestry room when you get back to Grimmauld Place. I believe you'll find that after Mother finished cursing me, she blasted me right off the old Black family tree. Goodbye, Father." With that, Sirius turned toward the street and resumed his walk away from Diagon Alley – and his family.

When he reached the other side of the brick wall leading to the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius allowed his emotions to overtake him. He leaned back against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the ground, feeling the brick catch on his jumper as he did so.

It was over. Other than the occasional glimpse – or perhaps the odd encounter due to school – he never had to see his parents again. He stared down at his hands, resting on his bent knees, taking in the torn cuticles, the bitten nails – that scratch he'd gotten when he'd stuffed some of his belongings into his backpack the night he'd left home. Suddenly, the image blurred and he felt hot tears course down his cheeks. _Why in bloody hell is this bothering me so much?_ A traitorous voice inside his head answered. _Because you have no family now. You don't belong anywhere. You say you're not a Black, but that's what you've always been. Sirius Black, pureblood. Sirius Black, Gryffindor rebel. Sirius Black, Maraud - ._ Sirius put his hands over his ears as if _that _could silence his own thoughts. _It's true, though_, he was forced to acknowledge, _especially the last. I'm no longer a Marauder. No matter what happens with James tomorrow, without Remus, that's still true. So, if I'm no longer any of those things – Black, Marauder … friend - then who _am _I? _Sirius pulled down the sleeves of his jumper over his fists and scrubbed his eyes and cheeks furiously. The rough wool stung the sensitive skin, but he didn't care. _Maybe it's time I found out. _Rising, Sirius made his way determinedly through the Leaky Cauldron, which had begun to fill up with the dinner crowd. He looked neither left nor right, simply made his way straight for the front door. Sirius never saw his father come in behind him and stand, motionless, watching his son walk out of the building. With a sigh, Orion walked over to the Floo, left some coins on the hearth and called out his home address as he stepped into the cool, green flames.

XXXXXXXX

Sirius' pace back to Kate's was much slower than he'd set earlier in the day. On the return trip, he spent more time looking at his surroundings, the well-tended gardens, the clean, well-kept homes, and the lovely parks with their manicured grounds. Doing so kept him from his thoughts, most of which focused on things he'd prefer not to contemplate.

After walking for some time, Sirius came upon one such park whose gates had not yet closed for the night. Drawn by the sweet scent of flowers he couldn't even begin to name, he entered the enclosed area and began to follow the winding path deeper onto the grounds.

It was almost seven and the orange glow of the sun washed over the gardens – and a white stone gazebo that came into view at the apparent end of the path. Sirius approached it to find the space empty and he took a seat on one of the marble benches. _It will be another hot day tomorrow_, Sirius thought, images of the cool ocean at Brighton coming into his head. _If I actually make it to the ocean_, he thought, knowing that any conversation with James would be bound to happen soon after their arrival. Even Lily wouldn't be enough to keep James distracted for long. _Maybe I can get a walk on the beach in while he and Lily are …_reacquainting themselves. In spite of everything, Sirius smiled. _James was definitely …what was the old term Uncle Alphard used to use? Besotted; that's it! _It was one of his favorite uncle's last visits to Grimmauld Place before he, too, was nothing more than an acrid black singe on the family Tapestry. He'd been regaling a 12 year-old Sirius with stories of his own school days at Hogwarts – and one of his classmates, a redheaded witch by the name of Minerva McGonagall. Apparently, as he told it, Minerva was a shapely little thing who cared little for 'girlish whimsy' and quite a great deal for Quidditch. She was the Keeper for the Gryffindor team from her third year onward and her high-flying maneuvers protecting the rings were the talk of her House…and the other three. The captain of the Ravenclaw team, a ruggedly handsome transfer student from abroad, was _besotted_ with the auburn-tressed beauty and he wooed her unsuccessfully until their sixth year, when she finally capitulated; they were a couple from then on. Content to leave the story there, Alphard finally gave in to Sirius' wheedling At graduation, the young wizard announced to Minerva that he had been named Seeker for the Vratsa Vulturesand, dropping to one knee, asked her to be his bride. Knowing already that she would be apprenticed to the retiring Transfiguration professor – and that marrying her beau would mean a move to Bulgaria, Minerva refused Vladislav Krum. He begged and pleaded, offering to make his home with her in Scotland, but tearfully, Minerva held firm. The team traveled the majority of the year and its members were almost never at home. A long distance marriage bode ill for any couple and, in the wizarding world, marriage was for life. She suggested that Vladislav try out for the Scottish National Team, but he refused. They were not as competitive or proven as the Vultures, nor could they pay him the same compensation. Unable to come to compromise, the couple went their separate ways. Several years later, Minerva read in the Prophet that Vladislav had married the oldest daughter of the team's very wealthy owner, a stocky, unfortunately featured young woman whose smile revealed rather prominent upper teeth. Each year for the next six, the Prophet printed a new birth announcement for the Krums – six strapping sons in all. Minerva, her heart broken once, never married, choosing instead to dedicate herself to her students and her career. Alphard laughingly assured Sirius that Minerva was not one to remain exclusively on the proverbial "high road" as regarded her replacement. Rumor had it that upon first glance at a photo of the new bride, the young professor uttered a comment worthy of her Animagus form, _"Vlad will save a fortune in grooming fees; she can kiss him and comb his mustache at the same time!" _

Sirius chuckled at the memory. His younger self couldn't wait to get back to school and tell his mates the story of their Head of House. James had fallen over on his bed, clutching his sides and laughing loudly when Sirius had repeated what his uncle had told him.

_James_. _Well, it seemed that he'd managed to capture _his _redhead well before graduation. 'Besotted' certainly described him. _Sirius' thoughts were pierced by the sound of crickets chirping in the hedges surrounding the gazebo and he was startled to see that the sun had, indeed set. The deep, cobalt blue of evening was beginning to overtake the sky and Sirius suddenly realized that Kate would undoubtedly be thinking the worst of his long absence. He rose and hurriedly made his way through the gate and along the street that would turn into Kate's.

As he approached her house, Sirius looked up at the windows and was genuinely surprised _not _to see her sitting in one. He took the steps two at a time and entered the hallway quietly. Sirius paused and listened; the house was virtually silent. _Not good_.

Walking quickly, Sirius made short work of the first floor, sticking his head into each room and glancing around in an effort to locate Kate. He was unsuccessful. Backtracking, Sirius climbed the stairs to the second floor, repeating his previous process for the tiny library and the sitting room. Empty. Crossing the hallway, Sirius paused in front of Kate's closed bedroom door, glancing over his shoulder for Goldie before knocking softly.

"Kate? Are you in there? I'm back," he called quietly through the door. When there was no immediate response, Sirius placed his ear against the wood, trying to listen for any sound that Kate was in her room. When the door suddenly opened, he had all he could do to catch himself before he fell onto her floor.

"You is late, Mister Sirius," Goldie scolded, hands on her hips as she glared up at him. "We is having dinner without you because we is not knowing when you is coming back. Missy Kate is packing now. You go to your room and pack."

"I will, Goldie; I just want to talk with Kate for a minute," Sirius began, but was met with complete obstinacy on the part of the little house elf who had now folded her arms over her chest.

"You is not talking to Missy Kate now; you is packing for holiday," Goldie advised him. "Now, go to your room, Mister Sirius."

Sirius raised his eyebrows in surprise. Clearly, Kate and her mother had been right; Goldie meant business. He shook his head in defeat. "Ok, ok; I'll go and pack. But, Goldie, after I've finished, _then _can I talk with Kate?"

Goldie glanced at her charge then back at Sirius. "Missy Kate is making that decision for herself," she said sternly. "If Goldie was deciding, it would be 'no', but Goldie is not the one to say."

"Katie?" Sirius risked the wrath of the Morgan house elf. Kate still hadn't spoken to him; hadn't even looked at him and he hated it.

"I'll meet you in the sitting room in thirty minutes," she said, her voice subdued.

Sirius nodded, and then realized that she couldn't see the gesture as she had yet to turn around. "Right. Thirty minutes. Going to pack now," he added, for Goldie's benefit then turned and walked out of Kate's room and down the hallway to his own.

XXXXXXXX

It took Sirius very little time to pack his small backpack with his clothing, spare shoes and personal items that he would take to Brighton the following day. Some ten minutes after he'd left Kate's room, he was standing at the window of the sitting room, waiting for her to arrive.

He knew he'd screwed up by returning to the house as late as he'd done. _I could have Floo called her_, he reasoned. _I didn't have to stay away as long as I did. She took me in. She cares about me. I care about _her_; I just…_

"Sirius?" At Kate's soft voice, Sirius turned to find her standing in the middle of the room.

"Katie, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, walking toward her. "I know I snapped at you before I left and then I stayed away for a long time. I could have Floo'd to let you know I was ok, but I just … I'm sorry," he said again, reaching for her hand. "Please don't be mad at me; please forgive me."

Kate took his hand and was immediately pulled into a tight embrace. "Let's sit down," she whispered. "I want to talk with you." She felt Sirius shake his head.

"Don't want to talk. Want to stay like this," he said, voice muffled by her hair.

Kate briefly tightened her arms around his waist then let go. "Talk first?"

Sirius nodded and the two sat down on the small sofa before the fireplace.

"Listen, first of all, I'm not mad at you," Kate began. "I _was _irritated when you first left, but I got over it. I know that sometimes I worry about you more than I should. Today was one of those times. I should remember that you're perfectly capable of wandering around London by yourself. I guess my ego was bruised that you didn't want me along to help you sort out everything that was running through your mind."

"It's not that I didn't want you with me, Katie. It's just – you know when I started running at the end of term?" At her nod, Sirius continued, "well, in the beginning I did it to substitute for the exercise I used to get playing Quidditch. But, as time went on, I realized that it gave me the chance to think – _really _think; to sort things through without anyone else around. I might not have had the answers when I stopped running, but I'd at least thought about things." He gave her a crooked grin she hadn't seen in quite some time. "Ironic, isn't it? I used to run away from things instead of facing them head on and _now_, I'm running to try to figure them out."

"Mmm," Kate nodded. "I _do _get it, you know. I understand that you haven't been running every day since term ended. If it was just the exercise, that would be one thing; you _have _turned it into something more. Did the walk help?"

Sirius debated telling her about meeting his father and then decided it wasn't fair to withhold the information. "I'm not sure. Maybe. Katie, I didn't tell you everything Dumbledore said in his owl. It's not because I wanted to hide anything from you; it was more that it would have just been one more story about how screwed up my life at home had been, you know?"

"Sirius, it's ok, really." Kate took his hand again.

"Regulus called my father home from Paris after I left Grimmauld Place. He was really upset – Regulus was – and told my father everything about what had happened. He came home straight away. Of course, Regulus didn't know where I'd gone – no one did. My father's first thought was Hogwarts and he went to see Dumbledore," Sirius explained.

"He thought you'd gone back to school," Kate said. At his nod, she added, "Well, it makes sense, given what happened at Christmas, didn't it? What happened when he discovered you weren't there?"

"Well, Dumbledore didn't know anything about what had happened until he talked with my father. He figured out that I'd probably try to get to you because of everything that's happened with James and … everyone. Father had brought the rest of my clothes, my books and my trunk; Regulus had packed everything while he was waiting for him to come back. Dumbledore said my father wanted to meet with me – I could pick the place and time – once Dumbledore knew where I was. Dumbledore thought I should do it, if only to have some closure," Sirius said. "And so my father could reassure Regulus that he'd seen me and that I was alright."

"Are you going to do it?" Kate asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Don't have to any more. I was sitting at Fortescue's having ice cream and my father walked up to the table and asked if he could join me."

Kate's eyes grew large in her face, but she couldn't say a word. Luckily, Sirius simply launched into his conversation with his father, giving her a fair 'word for word' rendition of their encounter. When he'd finished, Kate's eyes were bright with tears on his behalf.

Sirius reached over and brushed his fingers over her cheeks as the moisture fell. "Don't," he whispered. "I already did that and it's ok now. I knew I wasn't a Black going into the conversation; we'd already established – well, re-established – that, hadn't we?"

Kate nodded.

"Now, it's time for me to figure out who I _am_, right?"

Kate leaned over and kissed his lips gently. "You're very courageous and you're strong. You're a survivor – that much we already know."

Sirius cupped her cheek in his hand and nodded. "I know that I love you and even now, I know that I'm yours – if you still want me. After everything that I've done."

Kate reached up and covered his hand with her own. "I still want you. After everything that you've done – and everything that's been done to you. And I love you, too. Very much."

Sirius smiled and pulled her toward him. "I'm going to kiss you, Kate Morgan; I'm going to kiss you good and proper. And Goldie be damned!" And with that, he lowered his face to hers and made good his promise.


	46. A Step in the Right Direction

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 46 – A Step in the Right Direction

The following morning found Kate and Sirius up early. They ate breakfast together, under the watchful eye of Goldie, who was much more accepting of Sirius than she'd been the previous evening.

Sirius was very quiet, ate little and jumped each time he was spoken to. After breakfast, he fairly fled to the guest bathroom to shower and dress. Kate was already dressed and had placed her suitcase in the front hallway when Sirius appeared on the stairs, backpack slung over one shoulder. Kate glanced at the clock in the parlor; it was just nine. He'd drive himself round the twist by noon if she didn't do _something _to distract him.

"Come on; I want to show you something," Kate said. "Drop your backpack next to my suitcase and follow me." She called to Goldie to let her know they'd be back in a couple of hours then grabbed Sirius' hand. "Come _on_."

The two of them descended the front steps and took a right; heading in the direction Sirius had walked the previous day.

"Where are we going?" Sirius asked, entwining her fingers more comfortably with his own as she set a fairly brisk pace beside him.

"Favorite place of mine. You'll see," she said, mysteriously, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

They walked for a bit longer, Sirius taking in the familiar scenery and finally drew to a stop outside the park where he had come the night before. Sirius smiled.

"It's one of my favorite places, as well," he said. "I spent quite a bit of time last night in that gazebo back there. It's a fair place to sit and ponder, I've discovered."

Kate returned his smile. "But you don't know what happens every morning near your 'pondering place', do you?" She tugged on his hand and they made their way along the path toward the gazebo of which they were both so fond. Halfway there, Sirius saw what Kate must have been referring to.

Around the gazebo were situated what had to be over two dozen dogs and their owners in what appeared to be a rather disorganized play date. There were dogs of all shapes and sizes, from the smallest teacup Poodle to a rather lovably clumsy Boarhound, playing in pairs and in small groups. Some were off-lead, some firmly held by their owners, but all appeared to be having a wonderful time.

As the two young people approached the gathering, a young Golden Retriever bounded over to greet them. "Kate, hello!" a young, blonde woman hurried over, lead at the ready. "Mulligan, _sit down_; we've talked about this: we do not jump, do we?"

Kate laughed merrily as Mulligan had clearly forgotten that particular conversation and was sitting up on his hind legs, front paws firmly fixed on Kate's stomach as she scratched his ears. A sharp _click_ announced that Mulligan's very strong leather lead was firmly secured to his collar. Unruffled by his sudden loss of freedom, the dog sat down on the grass.

"Hannah! How are you?" Kate returned her friend's greeting then turned to Sirius. "Sirius, this is a friend of mine from our neighborhood, Hannah Cooke. Hannah, my friend, Sirius Black."

The two shook hands then Sirius dropped to his knees on the grass and began to pat Mulligan, who clearly relished the attention. Soon, the young dog was sprawled on his back, hind foot pawing at the air as Sirius laughingly found that very satisfying scratching spot on Mulligan's belly.

"Looks like you've made a friend, Sirius," Hannah observed, chuckling.

"I've always had a way with dogs," he observed. _If you only knew._

"Well, Mulligan, playtime's just about over, I'm afraid. Are you ready to go home?" Hannah turned her attention to the playful pup, which appeared to be perfectly content where he was. Sirius, however, stood and took a step back from him and shortly, the dog was on his feet and, with a final lick to Sirius' hand, was trotting beside his owner as she walked up the path.

"This happens every morning?" Sirius posed the question as he watched the parade of dogs and owners exiting the area.

"Mmm," Kate waved to one or two other people she knew then inclined her head toward the gazebo, walking up to sit on the steps. "From 8 to half-nine, each and every weekday. I used to have a dog, but I had to give him away when we left America," her voice grew sad. "When we came back to England, I used to take walks in the park and I happened upon this little group. They were all so friendly; having the chance to enjoy _their _dogs helped me miss mine a bit less."

Sirius dropped down to sit next to her and started to reply when a low growl sounded behind them. The couple rose and turned on the steps, startled to see a very large Doberman pinscher standing on the top step of the opposite exit. His teeth were bared and he growled again as he took a slow step toward them.

Sirius reacted purely on instinct, transforming into Padfoot and putting himself between the menacing Doberman and Kate. His only focus was the dog opposite them and protecting her from what appeared to be a certain attack.

"Boris! Where _are _you?" A shrill voice cut through the air and a moment later, an older woman dressed in a very loud green plaid suit strode into view. Upon hearing the voice, the Doberman immediately stopped his advance across the gazebo.

"_There _you are. What have you … _Boris_, come _here_," she commanded, her voice stern, as she took in the scene before her. The dog responded at once, turning and walking to where his mistress stood at the foot of the steps. Once she'd secured the dog on his lead, she stepped into the interior of the structure.

"I must apologize," she said sincerely. "Boris is a rescue dog from a very difficult home situation. Our group has a location on the other side of these gardens; I was working with him and he slipped away. I hope that neither you nor your dog has been injured."

Kate, still stunned by Sirius' transformation, shook her head and tried desperately to find her voice. After a moment, she managed to rasp out, "Not at all. I think we're both just fine." She put her hand on top of the dog's – Sirius' – sleek black head. "We're fine," she repeated weakly. "It was just a shock…" _Certainly a true statement!_

After peering at them both sharply for a moment longer, the woman nodded. "Well, again – my apologies. He'll be a fine dog once we can reverse some of the aggressive behaviors he developed under his previous owners." She looked down at the now docile Boris. "Come along, Boris," she spoke softly. The dog made eye contact with the woman, rose and walked obediently beside her.

After woman and dog had disappeared behind the hedgerow, Kate walked over to the marble bench and sat down heavily. Padfoot followed and sat down on the floor in front of her, putting his head on her knee. Kate stared down at him, her expression incredulous.

"You're an Animagus," she finally said. Padfoot raised his head and huffed in response before settling back down on her knee, his blue eyes fixed on her face.

"Change back, please," she said quietly then watched as the large black dog morphed into the more familiar shape of Sirius. "_Padfoot._"

"Makes sense now, doesn't it? I didn't want that snarling mutt to hurt you; I changed without even thinking," Sirius said, sitting next to her and reaching for her hand. "Are you alright?"

Kate nodded. "A bit stunned, of course." Suddenly, her eyes grew wide and her expression became more than a little panicked. "Wait – _Sirius_ – you're not to do magic outside of Hogwarts until you're of age. When the Ministry …"

Sirius reached over and put his finger over her lips. "The Ministry isn't going to know about this. It's a peculiar thing about the Animagus status. It's a bit like Remus' transformations … well, not really, but it's as close as I can come to a proper comparison. Look, you take the potion and the magical imprint becomes part of your body chemistry, part of who you are as a wizard. Transformations to and from my Animagus form are magical, _yes_, but they are not considered to be outside the Laws of Underage Magic because the form is now part of who _I _am. There's no wand, you see, so it's not attached to anything that's registered to me and I – well, my Animagus form isn't registered at the Ministry, either. Why do you think they require Animagi to register, Kate? Because they have no other way of knowing about us. Remus was forced to register as a werewolf, but they only know that he transforms every full moon because he _is _a werewolf and the transformations just _happen_. There is no signal, no magical imprint created when he transforms. Does this make any sense at all?"

Kate nodded. "When did you …?"

"When did I accomplish it?" he finished. At her nod, Sirius continued. "Early this year. I did it for Remus, so he wouldn't have to spend the full moons alone. See, Moony can only turn humans if he bites them at the full. Animals cannot be turned. We're – well, we _were_ pack mates of a sort. The wolf stopped attacking itself so badly once it had someone else to, well - '_play with'_, I suppose is the best term." _I can't tell her about James & Peter; that's not my secret. I've learned my lesson the hard way. Sorry, Katie._

"Show me again?"

Sirius smiled, lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. Rising, he stood facing her and Kate felt a magical shimmer shift the air. Moments later, the large black dog with Sirius' beautiful eyes, stood in the wizard's place. He sat on the marble floor and lifted his paw for her to take. Kate smiled, finally and took the huge paw in her much smaller hand. After a moment, she looked around to make certain they were still alone then turned to him. "Come back, please."

When Sirius was seated beside her once again, Kate turned to him. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

Sirius put his head down. "I won't lie to you, Katie; I don't know if I would have told you if today hadn't happened. I hated keeping it from you, but it's a secret so closely tied to Remus that I guess I just wanted to keep it hidden away from everyone."

"I understand," she replied softly. "I think it's wonderful, but you _do _have to be careful if you're not registered."

"I know," he nodded. "And I _am_." He paused and searched her face. "Are we still ok?"

Kate sighed and wondered if every controversy would always come back to this particular insecurity. "We are still ok," she affirmed, leaning over and kissing his lips gently. Drawing back, she gave him a smile. "You do realize that this gives me an enormous edge, right?"

Sirius' brows drew together in confusion. "No; what do you mean?"

Kate rose. "Well, if you misbehave whilst in Padfoot's form, I can take you to the veterinary for any number of behavior-modifying _procedures_." Taking in Sirius' shocked expression, she turned and started for the steps only to feel a very strong hand encircle her arm before she'd gotten too far. She chuckled when she felt herself being spun around and pulled tightly against a very _un_amused wizard.

"If you're referring to what I _think_ you're referring to, I believe you would potentially fall victim to your own punishment," he said softly, his arms tightening around her waist.

Kate's giggle was cut off when Sirius leaned down and captured her lips, kissing her thoroughly. Her arms automatically went around his neck as she returned the kiss enthusiastically. When air became a necessity, Kate looked up into his eyes and nodded. "I see what you mean. Perhaps we'll just stick to more traditional, _human_ behavior modification techniques, then."

"I think that would be best," Sirius agreed, kissing her again.

"We should head back," Kate said when they broke the kiss. "Lily and her parents will be along soon and we don't want to make them wait for us."

Sirius kissed her cheek gently before stepping back. His expression reflected the return of some of his anxiety from earlier that morning, but not all, as Kate was gratified to see.

"It will be fine," she assured him as they walked, hand-in-hand, toward the street.

"I hope so, Katie," Sirius replied, squeezing her fingers. "I really hope so."

XXXXXXXX

At precisely noon, a large, cheerful red station wagon pulled up in front of the Morgan's house and Lily skipped gracefully up the steps to the front door while her father opened the back of the vehicle. A moment later, the door opened and Kate and Lily were hugging each other in greeting.

"Hello, Sirius," Lily said, giving the wizard a brief hug. "I'm happy to see you."

Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise, but he returned the redhead's hug and smiled. "Thanks, Lily; good to see you, too." Tossing a confused look at Kate, he picked up her suitcase and his backpack and headed for the car. "I'll load this stuff and meet you outside, Kate," he tossed over his shoulder.

Lily waited until he was out of earshot. "How is he? He looks thin to me."

Kate smiled. "You sound like Goldie; she's been leaving plates of biscuits on his bed stand at night and literally piling food on his plate since he arrived." Kate's face and voice grew more serious as she added, "I think his appetite has fallen victim to everything that's happened over the past few months. He eats, but not with his previous enthusiasm. As far as how he's doing this morning is concerned – he's nervous; exactly as you'd expect him to be. How's James?"

"Nervous." Lily looked frankly at her friend. "Quite nervous from the sound of him." She walked over to the door and glanced down to the car where Sirius was standing awkwardly next to the open hatch. "I'd better get down there and make sure they've all been introduced. Are you coming?"

Kate nodded. "Just let me say goodbye to Goldie and I'll be right down."

A short while later, Kate was standing beside Sirius, being introduced to Lily's parents. Kate liked them instantly; they were kind, friendly people who were obviously very proud of their daughter and quite interested in her friends who shared a lifestyle and a gift that they did not quite understand.

As the three teenagers settled into the backseat of the car, Kate immediately commented at its spaciousness. Lily explained that Mr. Potter had obtained permission to magically enlarge the interior of the Evans' car to permit comfortable transport of Lily's friends to Brighton. The young witch laughed when recounting the expression on her sister Petunia's face when she heard what had been done. "She absolutely refused to come with us today," Lily told them. "I think she was afraid that some of the magic would jump off the upholstery and attach itself to _her_!"

Sirius recalled the long-faced, rather bony girl who seemed a very unlikely sister to the vivacious and attractive Lily. On the two occasions when Sirius had interacted with Petunia, he was struck by her acid tongue and obvious dislike for her sister and all things connected to the magical world. He was certain he heard Petunia whisper the word, "_Freak_!" as Lily had walked away from her at King's Cross Station one September.

Kate was situated between Lily and Sirius and chatted amiably with Lily and her mother as the car soon made its way out of London proper. Sirius focused on the window, watching as the bustle of the congested city gave way to the more pastoral images of the country. The conversation amongst the various occupants of the car receded to a gentle hum as Sirius endeavored to keep his thoughts from wandering beyond the English countryside slipping quickly past the window.

Roughly thirty minutes into the trip, Sirius felt Kate's hand slide into his where it rested between them on the leather seat. He gripped it tightly, releasing a bit of the pressure when he heard a slight hiss escape her lips. _Sorry, Katie. _He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb and felt her squeeze his fingers in response.

"Whereabouts are the Potters staying in Brighton?" Mrs. Evans asked after a time.

"Oh, we're not really staying _in _Brighton," she replied. "Brighton's about 10 minutes on. The Potters have always taken a house in East Sussex, just down from Peacehaven Beach. James said that this year his father finally struck a bargain with the couple who owned it and they've bought it outright!"

Sirius thought back to the previous summers and the weeklong adventures he'd had with James and his family and he was happy that they had managed to buy their summer holiday "home" of so many years. The house was wonderful – large and airy with a great deal of light. One could walk to Brighton Beach, the Pier and any number of restaurants and shops or simply stay put on the shingled beach at Peacehaven undercliff. He found himself looking forward to the sort of solitude that could be found hunkered down at the undercliff.

"You're quiet," Kate whispered as Lily chatted with her parents.

Sirius squeezed her hand again gently and nodded. "We're getting closer; I'm not sure what's going to happen."

Kate leaned against him for a moment. "Listen, I totally expect that things will work themselves out for you and James; even if they don't, and you don't want to stay, we have a place to go."

Sirius pulled back and looked down at her. "_'We'?_"

Kate nodded firmly. "Yes. If you go, then I go. We'll just tell Dumbledore we're a packaged deal. I'll send an owl to my mother to confirm it, but she knew that this would be my plan if something went wrong. Don't worry, Sirius; you're not alone."

Sirius blinked rapidly and Kate heard him swallow. With a small smile of acknowledgment, Sirius turned back to the window.

XXXXXXXX

"Here you are at last!" Margaret Potter came out onto the slate walkway and down the steps to greet the Evans. "Hal, James, the Evans are here," she called over her shoulder.

Margaret Potter was a handsome woman, albeit a bit older than the parents of her son's contemporaries. She and her husband had despaired of having children until some twenty years into their marriage, when Margaret had become pregnant with James. Although she and Hal were thrilled when James arrived, they were determined to raise him without undue spoiling and they had succeeded admirably. The Potters were very well to do, having inherited family wealth from both sides in addition to Hal's salary as head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department at the Ministry. The couple was regarded as warm, outgoing and completely without pretense, purebloods with none of the Dark connotations or prejudices.

"Lily," Margaret hugged her son's girlfriend first then greeted the Evans warmly. Once she had done so, Lily introduced her to Kate, who also received a hug from her hostess. Having succeeded in rousing her husband and son, Margaret advised James that he could complete the introductions then take everyone inside for some iced tea on the shaded deck overlooking the ocean. Other than a brief glance in Sirius' direction, James made no contact with the other boy, something that did not escape his mother's notice. Once Margaret heard the door close above her, she turned her attention to Sirius, holding out her arms to him. He hesitated for only a moment before walking into her embrace.

"Sweetheart," she said quietly. "You've had rather a bad time of it, haven't you? And you've lost weight! No matter; you're home now. We'll soon put you right."

Sirius stood, allowing his friend's mother to hold him while he fought his emotions back down for the second time since beginning the journey earlier in the day. "I've done something stupid," he mumbled against Margaret's shoulder. "James doesn't … he won't …" His voice trailed off, uncertain how to explain the events of the last term to her.

"It doesn't matter; we all do stupid things. It's human nature. We all make mistakes. The important thing is that we learn from them and try very hard not to make them again, isn't it? Don't worry too much about James. He's stubborn, like his father, but things will soon be back to normal. He loves you, Sirius; you're like a brother to him – and brothers fight every now and again. Once you have the chance to talk it all out, I'm sure things will be fine," Margaret's voice was soothing and she rubbed small circles on his back as she spoke, endeavoring to stop the trembling that had begun when she'd first hugged him.

Sirius nodded and loosened his hold round her waist. Margaret stepped back, then moved to stand next to him, putting her arm around his waist and leading him toward the front steps. "Let's go and join the others, shall we? I want to chat with this girlfriend of yours. I hear that she's special to you."

Sirius nodded. "Very special."

"Then she will be special to us, as well."

XXXXXXXX

When Margaret Potter and Sirius stepped out onto the deck, the young wizard immediately glanced around the deck for Kate. He found her sitting in a shaded corner, chatting with Mr. Potter, glass of iced tea untouched on the tray before her.

Lily and her parents were leaning over the rail of the deck, Lily pointing at something going on a distance down the beach. Margaret gave his arm a squeeze then joined Lily, pouring herself a glass of tea and falling into conversation with Mrs. Evans.

_Clever,_ Sirius thought to himself. _Not terribly subtle, but certainly clever. _James was standing off by himself and Sirius was somewhat disconcerted to realize that he was watching him intently. _In for a penny, in for a pound_. Sirius walked over to his friend.

"Thanks for letting me come," he said, gazing over James' shoulder at the ocean behind him. "I didn't expect it."

"Mum and Dad suggested it. They thought it would be more fun for Lily and me if there were more people our own age here, as well," James said quietly. While there was no hostility in his voice, there was no real welcome either.

Sirius nodded. "Right. Well, I guess I'll go and say hello to your father, then." And he was gone, walking toward Hal and Kate without another word.

James watched him go, filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. He was still angry at Sirius' stupidity and everything that had happened with and as a result of 'the Prank'. He also greatly missed his friend, hated that he had moved out of their dorm, refused to eat with them or sit with them in class. Most of all, he was angry that Sirius had not contacted _him_ the night he had left Grimmauld Place for the last time. James knew that anger to be irrational; why would Sirius think James would take him in after everything that had happened with them all? _But I _would_ have taken him in_, James thought to himself. _Taken him in and made sure he was ok. We would have fought and yelled but we would have worked it out. _James looked over at Sirius, seated next to his father and listening to the conversation between Hal and Kate. _You never gave me the chance. _The annoying inner voice that had become James' companion of late pushed its way forward. _And how was he to know that? After all, there was fighting and yelling, but you really didn't attempt to work it out with him, did you? And all of his apologies were met with hostility, weren't they? _James felt the familiar irritation rise as he argued both sides of the issue. _He betrayed Remus. He betrayed us … me_ – _alright, he betrayed _me_. What was I supposed to do? Just walk away from that? Forgive him? He tore the Marauders apart with what he did. _James shook his head as that damnable voice piped up again. _But he tried to put things right and _you_ refused to talk with him. _But he moved out of the dorm! _It's not too difficult to understand why he did, is it?_ James' focus on Sirius intensified and Sirius must have felt James' stare because he looked up and caught the other boy's eye. Sirius lifted his chin and returned James' look, his own defiant. _Right; let's go._ But before James could do anything, his mother was walking toward the sliding glass doors with Lily and her parents in tow.

"My parents are leaving, James," Lily said, taking his hand. Hal joined the group, leaving Kate and Sirius alone on the deck.

"Katie, I think I'll go for a run. It's my first real chance since term ended and …" Sirius paused, looking out at the ocean.

"And you need to sort things out," Kate finished. "I think it's a good idea, actually. I'll let the others know."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her gently. "Thank you. I promise I won't be long."

Kate smiled. "Go; work off some nerves." She moved back to her place in the corner of the deck, watching as he stripped off his shirt, tied it 'round his waist and began to jog along the sandy bicycle path that ran parallel to the beach. Gradually, he picked up speed and by the time James and Lily returned to the deck, Sirius was a small figure in the distance.

"Where is Sirius?" Lily asked Kate, looking around the deck as if the other wizard were hiding in a corner.

"He went running," Kate replied. "First time since term ended. I think he's missed it."

"He does a lot of that," James put in mildly. "Running _away_."

Kate turned toward James, her eyes flashing. "James, I am aware that I am a guest in your home and, as such, I'm going to try to be as polite as possible. You have no idea what Sirius has gone through in the past few weeks and little idea what the last two months have done to him. You would do well to be cautious of what you say about Sirius in front of me, James." She rose and walked toward the sliding door. As Kate passed him, James reached out and gently caught her arm.

"I'm sorry, Kate," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know that, James," she replied. "But I'm not the one you should be talking with, am I?"

"He betrayed us, Kate," James said. "All of us."

Kate sighed. "You know something, James? I'm getting pretty sick of hearing that. Yes, I _know _what Sirius did, and it was terrible. I also know that he's sick over it, and that he carries it with him every single day – just as he carries the knowledge that you all hate him now, because that's what he thinks. Imagine how _you _would feel if it were Remus, Sirius and Peter standing against _you_…and none of them would give you a chance to explain. That's where he is with this and the part that makes _me _sick is that none of you can think for yourselves. It's all about what he did to _all _of you. That's hardly fair to him, James. Each of you had your own relationship with him and it is to each of those individual relationships that repairs are needed. If you can see your way clear to do that, then the group – the precious Marauders – will be repaired as a consequence." Kate shook her head, "Listen, I'm going to unpack. I'll see you both later on." She gently tugged her arm free from James' grasp and walked inside the house.

After the door had slid closed, James walked over to the deck rail and leaned against it heavily, gaze fixed on the beach below. "I don't know what to do, Lils," he said softly. "I'm just so angry at him for what he did. We were friends – brothers – for five years and he betrayed it all over Snape. He betrayed all of us."

Lily came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder. "You didn't listen to a thing Kate said, did you? You have a right to be angry with him. _You_, James. You can't be angry with him on anyone else's behalf when you decide whether or not you're ever going to forgive him. Remus is a big boy; his anger with Sirius is his own and he's got to work through it himself. Sirius will have to face Remus without you – or Peter. He has to repair that friendship. What's down to _you_ is whether what he _meant_ to you is more important to you than what he _did _to you. If his friendship – if _Sirius_ – is worth something to you then you have to figure out a way to forgive him. I don't have all the answers, but you've got to figure something out. The two of you are sharing a room for the next two weeks. At the very least, you have to figure out how to cohabitate without ruining the holiday for the rest of us."

James turned in her arms and put his hands on her shoulders. "You mean you and I aren't sharing a room? You know, the set up of this house would make that pretty easy. Mum and Dad are _all the way downstairs_ in the Master Suite; the four of us are _all the way upstairs_ in a completely opposite wing. I rather thought we'd switch off after they'd retired for the night." He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Lily leaned up and kissed James' cheek before stepping neatly away from his embrace. "I rather think you're quite out of your mind, Mr. Potter. I'm bunking in with Kate, thanks very much. You – and Mr. Black – will have sufficient time to resolve your differences – or come to some kind of closure if you can't fix things."

James' face fell and Lily was struck by the sadness in his eyes. "What if we really can't come to terms, Lils? What then?"

Lily squeezed his arm. "We'll worry about that if and when we come to it."

XXXXXXXX

Kate had just slid her empty suitcase beneath her bed when she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Are you decent?"

Kate smiled. "Come in, Lily."

The redhead entered and closed the door behind her.

"How's James?" Kate asked.

"I left him to ponder," Lily replied, sitting down on the edge of Kate's bed. "You know, I used to think James was _so _transparent; this whole mess has proven _that _theory wrong." She looked up at her friend. "I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen."

Kate sank down on the bed. "Nor do I. They're both angry over what happened and frightened about what it will all mean. I _will_ tell you this, however; Sirius won't stay if James can't forgive him or if it appears that James isn't willing to even talk with him. He'll leave for certain and, Lily, I'll go with him. I won't let him be alone in this."

Lily's eyebrows rose impressively. "But your mother thinks you're going to be here for two weeks. She won't think much of you gallivanting off with Sirius – unchaperoned!"

Kate smiled. "She and I spoke of the possibility before she left on holiday. I believe she also spoke with Mrs. Potter. Trust me; if he goes, so will I. And we'll have plenty of chaperones, believe me!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Are you going to tell me _where _this sanctuary of yours is located or are you going to leave me hanging?"

"As tempting as it is to withhold information, I'll tell you. Dumbledore knows all that happened to Sirius, as you know. He's told him that he can return to school for the remainder of the summer holiday if need be," Kate said.

Lily nodded. "Makes sense, but you won't be leaving – either of you! If James doesn't talk to him and Sirius tries to leave, there's one other person who will undoubtedly step in and force their hands. Never underestimate Margaret Potter, Kate. She loves Sirius like her own son and she hates what he's been through. She normally doesn't interfere in things concerning James and his friends, but this is different. Mrs. Potter will step in and make sure that they at least hash it all out. If they walk away from each other afterward, she won't push, but she'll damned well make sure they talk." Lily glanced at her watch. "Come on; let's go downstairs and see if Mrs. Potter wants help with dinner."

Kate nodded, somewhat relieved that there was another person – and an adult in the bargain – who could see things from their perspective. _I knew I liked James' mother for a reason._

XXXXXXXX

Tired and in definite need of a shower, Sirius was walking the last distance back to the Potters' as part of his 'cool down' process. He'd been gone for well over an hour and he felt more settled than he had when he'd left. He was still apprehensive of contact with James, but he'd resolved that whatever was going to happen _would_ happen and the only real control he had over any of it was how he would react. Having an early return to Hogwarts as an option was a great relief; if he felt he had to retreat, he had a place to go.

_Hopefully, it won't come to that. Hopefully, Jamie … _James _will want to work it all out. _

The large white house came into view and Sirius quickened his steps. Suddenly, a warm shower and a cool glass of iced tea were extremely appealing. As he half walked, half jogged up to the steps, Sirius' glance fell on the deck – and met James'. Ignoring the flip of his stomach, he climbed up the deck stairs and found James standing there, waiting.

"James," Sirius nodded, coming to a halt a few feet from the other boy.

"Sirius."

He was struck by just how rarely James had used his given name once _Padfoot_ had arrived. Sirius couldn't recall the last time James had called him by that affectionate nickname. _That belonged to the Marauders._ _And I no longer do_.

"I thought I'd head up to the shower," Sirius said – an effort to fill the silence that had fallen uncomfortably between them.

"Right." James nodded. "I'll let you get to it, then."

Thereby dismissed, Sirius turned and walked into the house, leaving James wondering at his own inability to have a normal conversation with someone he'd considered his best friend for better than five years.

Upstairs, Sirius stripped off his clothing and headed for the shower – with the same question echoing in his own mind.


	47. Faltering Steps

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 47 – Faltering Steps

James and Sirius managed to keep their distance through dinner. Afterward, when everyone went onto the deck to enjoy the cool sea breeze, it was easy to hide their estrangement behind the common façade of fatigue from travel.

When Margaret and Hal retired for the night, the four young people remained behind, sitting close together on opposite benches, watching the peaceful flow of waves onto the shore.

Eventually, Kate rose and declared that she was exhausted and was heading off to sleep. Lily gave James a quick kiss on his cheek and announced that she was heading off to bed, as well. Before they knew what they were about, James and Sirius were standing on the now-abandoned deck, just staring at one another.

"That wasn't very subtle of them," James muttered as he took a seat at the granite-topped table in the center of the space.

Sirius nodded as he sat opposite the other boy. "I think they've decided to ditch subtlety where we're concerned."

Things were silent for a while then James decided to take a page from the girls' book.

"Why did you give me my stuff back the way you did?"

"Sorry?"

"_My stuff_. Why did you give it all back to me back at school? You piled it on my bed when you moved out," James clarified.

"Oh." _Well, this is starting rather in the middle, isn't it? _"It belonged to you. I figured you'd want it back, so I gave it to you."

"_Left _it for me. You didn't give it to me. To do that you would have had to speak to me – which you didn't. You just moved out and you didn't say anything; just left my stuff piled on my bed," James said, picking at a small tear in the knee of his jeans.

"Well, it wasn't exactly easy to talk to you, James. As you'll remember, you pretty much told me you didn't want anything to do with me," Sirius said, voice rising a bit.

"You fuckin' moved _out_," James gritted out. "You didn't tell us _fuck all _about where you were going. You ate by yourself at the other end of the table in the Hall – when you were still _eating_ in the Hall with the rest of the school. You sat by yourself in classes. And you spent every _bloody_ morning running in fuckin' _circles_ down at the Pitch – _alone_. Not exactly an invitation for conversation, was it?"

"Neither was punching me in the face before deciding that five years of friendship didn't mean enough for you to even _ask _me why I did what I did," Sirius pointed out. "It was like our entire friendship boiled down to that one event; that one stupid decision. You couldn't just be mad at me, James; you stopped being my friend. Any time I talked to you, you reminded me that you were _Remus' _friend, too. I meant it when I said that it felt like you were Remus' friend _period_. You chose, Jamie; you _fuckin' chose_ – and your choice was to keep Remus as a friend and to throw me away! What about _that _decision was supposed to make me stay in the dorm room with people who didn't want me there?"

James jumped up and came around the end of the table toward Sirius, hands clenched into fists by his sides. "I _never _said that I chose Remus over you. _Never_! And if you thought so, why in hell didn't you _say _something to me? I would have told you that!"

Sirius rose and walked to where James was standing and he leaned so close to the other boy that their noses were practically touching. "_Liar_!" Sirius took a step back. "You wouldn't have told me _shite_. I _tried _to talk to you. I _tried _– and do you remember what you said to me? No? Well, let me help you. You told me that you weren't interested in hearing why, that it was bad enough that I'd done it in the first place. You said you'd leave it up to Dumbledore to suss out my reasoning. You shut the door on me, James. _You_. No one else."

James just stared at the other boy, his mouth open slightly, eyes wide.

"We're not getting anywhere with this and I'm tired. I'm going to bed. At the risk of being told this is my answer to everything, do you want me to sleep on the sofa? I can move before your parents come downstairs in the morning so they won't ask questions, if you like," Sirius offered, his voice quiet now.

James came out of his stupor at this and blushed, remembering the conversation he'd had with Kate and Lily in which he'd made much the same sarcastic comment about Sirius' _running_. "No. You don't have to move out of the room."

Sirius nodded. "I'll just stay out of your way, then." He walked over to the sliding doors and put his hand on the black metal handle. Rather than push it to the side, Sirius stopped. Without turning around, he spoke again. "You know something, James? I _know _that all of this isn't all about me – even though it was something _I _did that caused all the trouble to start. I know that what I did was wrong. But Jamie, what really hurts is that you can't make your mind up about me on your own. You can't decide for yourself if we can be friends again. You have to think about Remus and what it will do to your friendship with him if you forgive me and we become friends again." Sirius turned and looked at James. "It's like you'll only be my friend again if it doesn't cost you anything; if it doesn't cost you Remus. I've got news for you, James; Remus wants less to do with me than you do, so if our friendship depends on his opinion then we might just as well give it up now."

James stood in shocked silence and didn't realize Sirius had left until he heard the soft slide of the screen door as it closed.

XXXXXXXX

Kate and Lily lay in their beds, sleep coming to neither. Their room was situated at the front of the house, high over the deck and overlooking the sea. They had opened both of the large front windows to take advantage of the cool ocean breeze and, if they were to be completely honest, to make certain the two boys on the deck did not come to blows. They lay, silently listening to the rise and fall of two voices - sometimes loud in anger and intensity, at other times soft and persuasive – and sad. It was difficult to tell how the conversation was progressing; the sound of the waves rushing onto the shingle-covered shoreline dominated at times. As they listened, both girls suddenly became aware that the time between the crashing of the waves no longer revealed the hum of voices; instead, there now was silence. As Lily drew breath to speak, the sound of soft footsteps were heard on the stairs. They passed the girls' closed door with only the slightest hesitation before continuing down the long hallway. Presently they heard the sound of a door closing.

"Which do you think?" Lily whispered.

Kate shrugged then remembered the other girl couldn't see her. "No idea."

After a short time, Kate heard the rustle of sheets then the padding of bare feet across the carpeted floor. In the moonlight coming through the window, Kate saw Lily quietly remove the screen from the window and place it on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Kate whispered.

"The deck is right below us. I might be able to see which one is left if he moves toward the railing. The awning only covers the table and benches. Maybe he'll move," she replied, her whisper barely able to be heard.

The redhead leaned out of the window to her waist and craned her neck to see who might be occupying the deck below. It seemed hours before she finally pulled out of the window and replaced the screen. Catching Kate's eye, Lily mouthed, "James."

Kate couldn't help but wonder if Sirius had run away or managed to speak his mind. The urge to slip down the hallway to his room and check on him was almost overwhelming.

"You have to stay here, you know," it was as if Lily could read her thoughts. "If James should suddenly come upstairs, ready to talk to Sirius, you could make him change his mind."

It was a reasonable observation with which Kate agreed. "I know, Lily; it just doesn't make it any easier."

XXXXXXXX

Sirius undressed to his boxers and slipped into bed. He felt at once saddened that his conversation with James had been so heated and elated that he'd managed to say what he'd wanted and needed to say for so long. He flipped over onto his side, propping up his head with his hand and gazing outside in the direction of the sea. It hurt to think that now, three months after the prank, James could still hold their friendship hostage to Remus' opinion of him. Had their friendship been so superficial that it could be thrown away so easily? Sirius felt the prickle of tears behind his eyes. He had long said that James and he were really brothers; how could he have been so wrong? Even Regulus didn't abandon him when things got rough. Sirius remembered Regulus risking discovery to slip down to the cellar and bring Sirius toast at Christmas. He recalled Dumbledore's comment about Regulus summoning Orion from Paris the morning after Sirius had run away. Even in his fear, Regulus had been there for him in the ways that he could be. James, however, had always been fearless; he'd taken Sirius' side in conflicts at school and had stood with him, decrying his parents and figuring out ways that Sirius wouldn't have to go back to Grimmauld Place. James had opened his home to Sirius and had made him feel like he belonged as part of the Potter family. Now, only James' parents – particularly his mum – gave him that sense of belonging. _I know what I did was beyond wrong,_ the young wizard thought as he roughly wiped his eyes on the pillowslip. _But when the bloody fuck is it going to be _over? Feeling the beginnings of a headache, Sirius dropped his head back down on the pillow and pulled the light sheet up over his shoulder. He needed to sleep, to escape it all, if only for a while. Breathing deeply, Sirius worked to clear his mind of the conflict and emotions; his goal was to be asleep before James came upstairs. He did not want to continue their discussion tonight.

XXXXXXXX

Downstairs on the deck, James wasn't thinking about retiring for the night. For perhaps the first time since the prank and its aftermath, James had more than heard what Sirius had to say; this time, he had actually _listened_. Before tonight, the normally logical and even-tempered Gryffindor had been too preoccupied with the shock and fall-out of his friend's actions to stop and think about what might have precipitated them. Truth be told, he really hadn't cared. Sirius' actions had been so shocking, do potentially damaging to all of them that James couldn't have envisioned a single reason that would have justified them. Therefore, he refused to allow that there _was_ any justification. James sat down heavily on the bench at the edge of the deck as his thoughts tumbled over one another. He recalled with great clarity how Sirius had behaved in the immediate aftermath of the prank, after he and Peter had returned from Dumbledore's office and in the weeks and months that had followed. That his friend regretted his actions was not in doubt; he had applied himself to classes, found a way to remain fit without Quidditch and had purposefully avoided contact with any of them. He was definitely not the Sirius of old – there were no pranks, no jokes and, most telling of all was the fact that he cut Snape a very wide path, as well. To James' knowledge, Sirius had ignored Snape as studiously as he had once sought to plague him. James sighed and ran his hand through his already impossible hair. Had Sirius finally realized the gravity of what he had done? Did he now understand how many lives could have been altered if the situation had turned out any differently? Could Sirius be trusted again?

"Can't sleep?"

James jumped and turned in the direction of the voice. Hal Potter stood near the door, hands resting in the pockets of his robe.

James shook his head. "My body's willing, but my brain doesn't agree, I guess."

Hal smiled and walked over to sit next to his son. "Happens to the best of us, son." He looked appraisingly at James for a moment. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Sirius and that business that happened near the end of term, would it?"

James gave his father a sad smile and nodded. "How'd you guess?"

"Well, when you have my job, you rather learn to evaluate all the evidence in a situation," he responded, bumping his shoulder into James' to punctuate his comment. "I will say, however, that this particular set of circumstances doesn't take a great deal of evaluation to recognize the problem."

James nodded. "Dad, I just don't know what to do."

"I take it the two of you have talked," Hal probed gently.

"Yeah; tonight, after everyone went to bed. I'm just so _angry _with him, and I can't get past it. What he did was so _stupid_ – more stupid than I'd ever thought Sirius could be; and he can do some pretty stupid things." James paused, glancing over at his father thoughtfully. "How much do you know about what happened?"

"Not much," Hal confessed. "But I gather that it had to do with Remus and that another student – or _students _– might have been put at risk."

James nodded, quietly considering how much he could safely tell his father. He trusted him, there was no question about that, but he was mindful of Hal's position with the Ministry. There were certain things that he would be bound to elevate or report, no matter how he learned of them or whom they involved. James wasn't certain that Remus' situation wouldn't be one of those things.

As if his father sensed the reason for his hesitation, Hal spoke, "James, you can speak to me in confidence without worry that I'll have to take some sort of official action. When Remus told us of his condition before he accepted our invitation to visit that first summer, that young man earned my respect and – insofar as I can provide it – my protection. Sirius has my respect and protection, as well; you know that, too. _You_, however, are my _son_ and I want to help you in any way that I can. I won't push you, but know that if you decide to talk to me, it will go no further."

James nodded, not immediately trusting his voice. After clearing his throat, James told his father about the prank, its aftermath and where things now stood between the friends – including the conversation of just a short while ago. The only piece Hal didn't hear involved the boys' status as Animagi; despite his reassurances, James didn't think his father could – or would – allow his son to break the law and remain unregistered. Hal had remained silent throughout James' tale, occasionally nodding at one point or another. When James finished, the two sat in silence, watching the ocean waves shimmer in the moonlight. Finally, Hal spoke.

"I think it is one of life's most particular cruelties to be confronted with the failings of our friends," he said quietly. "Particularly those friends whom we've brought into the circle of our families – not as a visitor, but as a sort of member. I won't bore you with the details, but I've been through that sort of discovery in the past and I know how painful it is to sort through. Are you looking for a bit of advice?"

James smiled gratefully. "I could really use some."

"Sirius, as wrong as he's been in this, has a point. You're dealing with two separate issues: forgiveness of a friend's betrayal and a decision to believe that it is safe to trust that friend again – to resume your relationship in spite of all that's happened. Reestablishing trust is difficult in and of itself. While you might forgive the person's actions, the decision to accept them and trust them again is much more difficult. Of course you're concerned about Remus and how he might react to the news that you've forgiven Sirius and resumed your friendship. That's a valid point given your friendship as a group; but you and Sirius are friends as individuals, as well," Hal reasoned with his son. "Whether or not your group continues as before, you must confront the issue of your own friendship with Sirius. There are some things that fall outside of the influence of a single group."

"So, you're saying that I can't worry about Remus' opinion on this; I have to make the decision on my own."

"I am. James, whatever Sirius' motivation was to act the way he did, he has always been an exceptional friend to you – and you have been a wonderful friend to him, as well. If you look back on all that your friendship was before this incident and you cannot judge it worth saving, then you must walk away. But, if you find that the magnitude of Sirius' mistake does not exceed the value of his friendship, then you must forgive him and resolve to move forward, despite what others may think or say. And, once you forgive him, you must do it honestly and wholeheartedly – and without looking back. Do you understand?"

James nodded. "Yes. If I forgive Sirius, I have to do it completely and trust him as my friend again, without holding anything back."

Hal patted James' shoulder. "Exactly."

"I _hate_ this," James bit out. "I want things to go back to the way they were before this happened."

Hal smiled sadly. "You know that they can't; too much has happened and you cannot go back. You can only go forward."

"I know, Dad. I've spent so much time turning what happened over and over in my head that I feel like my brain is going to explode."

"Well, maybe you need to stop replaying it all in your head and think about it from a different angle," Hal suggested.

"So, stop thinking of _what _Sirius did and think about _why _he did it, instead?" James asked, feeling a little guilty about shutting Sirius down when he wanted to talk about the reasons.

Hal shook his head. "Is the 'why' of it so important? If I was in your position, I might take a look at what I know about Sirius' typical behavior. I know him to be rather impulsive – _re_active rather than _pro_active at times. Isn't it possible that he might have reacted badly to something this other boy said or did and acted spontaneously as a result?"

James nodded. "I suppose; Sirius kept saying that he didn't think. When we spoke in the dorm that night, I was just so furious with him that I told him exactly what would have happened to Remus if we hadn't been able to pull Snape out of the tunnel. Dad, you should have seen Sirius' face; he never even thought about consequences for Remus."

"'_He didn't think_.' James, Sirius is an extremely intelligent young man, but that doesn't mean that his common sense prevails when his temper is provoked. And, the fact that he has that character flaw doesn't make him a bad person – someone who is unredeemable – in my own opinion, anyway. You saw Sirius' face; do you think it was ever his intent to endanger or harm Remus in any way?"

"_No!_" James shook his head, adamant in his belief. "Sirius has tried too hard to protect Remus in the past. He cares too much about Remus to intentionally hurt him – he …" James stopped and looked up at his father, who smiled back at him.

"He?" Hal prompted.

James felt his eyes fill and he looked out at the ocean again. "He would stand in front of any of us and take a curse on our behalf. He thinks of us as his family, since he doesn't consider the Blacks as such." James turned back to his father. "And he thinks I've decided he's not worth my friendship."

"Is he?"

James thought back to everything they'd gone through over the past 5 years; how Sirius had confided in him the horrors of his life at Grimmauld Place, how Sirius had protected and schemed to help Ofelia and, after everything, how Sirius had been behaving in the months after that one, horrible night. He felt the tears slip down his cheeks and he wiped them away roughly.

"Yes," he whispered.

Hal reached over and put his arm around James' shoulders. "James, it's never easy when friends disappoint us, especially when those friends are as close to us as is Sirius. It's a sign of maturity that you could look beyond his actions and see his true character. I'm proud of you, son."

"I'm not sure you should be; it took me long enough to get here," James said quietly.

"Oh, I don't know. I think everything happens in its own time. Given what you've told me, there wasn't much opportunity while you were still at Hogwarts and you can't take tonight's attempt at conversation too seriously. It was the first time you'd been in a position to speak; it was bound to be … emotional. The next time will be easier." Hal patted James' back and stood. "Come on; let's head upstairs. Your mother is going to think I've gotten lost and you look like you could do with some sleep."

"If Sirius is awake, I want to tell him…" James began, but Hal stopped him.

"Why not wait until morning? You'll both be more rested and things are apt to go better."

James nodded. He _was _exhausted – physically and emotionally. "You're probably right. I'll wait."

Father and son walked through the sliding doors and into the cool dining area of the house. They walked silently down the hall and as they reached the staircase, James put a hand on his father's arm. "Thanks, Dad. I mean it; I wouldn't have figured this out on my own – at least not for a lot longer than it took talking with you."

Hal smiled and hugged his son briefly. "I love you, James. Get some rest, now."

"I love you, too. 'night," James climbed the stairs, feeling how truly weary he was. Hal watched James until he turned down the hallway toward his room and then, with a soft smile, Hal did the same.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, Sirius rose quietly, pulled out a pair of track shorts, a t-shirt, socks and his trainers and padded into the bathroom. Moments later, he emerged dressed and made his way downstairs and outside to the beach. Taking the time to stretch his muscles, Sirius also used the interval to clear his mind of the previous evening. It had upset him more than he'd imagined it could – and he'd imagined that his first meeting with James would be pretty bad. He wanted to just _run_ this morning and not use the time to try to resolve what was quickly proving to be something that couldn't be fixed. Feeling his emotions begin to rise again, Sirius finished stretching and headed out to the bicycle path to begin his run.

Upstairs, James had awakened when Sirius had gone into their shared bathroom but had feigned sleep until he'd heard the other boy leave the room. When James heard Sirius' footsteps in the hallway floor, he'd risen and gone over to the window. After what seemed like ages, Sirius' form appeared, beginning a slow jog on the bicycle path next to the beach. James watched until Sirius was nothing more than a small dot and then he turned to his dresser, pulling out his own clothing and heading to the bathroom to shower.

_I hope this works_, he thought, closing the door behind him.

An hour later, Sirius was drawing closer to Peacehaven when he saw someone standing on a tall, flat-topped rock that gave the appearance of having been randomly dropped in the middle of the beach. As he closed the distance between them, Sirius felt his heart jump as he realized that the person standing and watching him was none other than James. _I'm not ready for a replay of last night_, he said to himself, even as he left the path and walked over to the rock.

"I brought breakfast," James said in an oddly constricted voice.

Sirius shaded his eyes against the sun and looked up, face clearly registering his surprise.

"Well, it's juice and fruit and rolls, but I suppose it counts as breakfast, anyway," he amended. "Mum put a cooling charm on the juice, so if you're thirsty …" _Ok, so maybe this _isn't _going to work. He's just standing there. _

"How did you get up there?" Sirius was asking him, looking at the near side of the rock appraisingly.

"'Round the back side," James replied. "It's got a few wonky-looking crags I used for steps."

Sirius walked around to the side of the rock James had indicated and climbed to the top. Once there, he saw that James had laid out a rather clumsy arrangement of plates, cups, a juice pitcher and the food. He sat down cross-legged next to the juice and waited to see what James would do. Sirius felt an odd happiness when the other wizard sat down a short distance away from him.

"Help yourself," James said, handing Sirius a plastic cup.

Sirius poured juice into it and handed the full cup to James before reaching for another and filling it for himself. He looked at his cup and then over at James. "Why do I have the urge to ask you to go first?" One corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Can't think. I haven't really had the time to brew anything that would be half effective, after all," James replied but lifted his own cup and drank half the contents in one gulp as a show of good faith.

Sirius took a healthy swallow of the fruity juice as well then looked at James. "What's going on, James? I got the impression last night that our friendship was pretty much over."

James looked his friend straight in the eye and nodded. "I know." He took a deep breath and looked out over the water, gathering his thoughts before he spoke again. "Look, after you left I stayed outside and I could _not _stop thinking about what you'd said. It just felt like I'd been _so _angry with you for _so _long that I didn't know how not to feel that way anymore. When you said I'd closed the door on you and shut you out, I … I don't know; it made me madder at first. I kept thinking that _you_ were the one who'd shut _me _out – shut us out and then I thought about that bit you said at the end. Remember? How it hurt that I couldn't make up my mind about you without thinking about how the decision would affect my friendship with Remus. I had to work harder to stay as mad." He stopped and looked once again at Sirius.

The other boy was sitting as still as the rock they occupied, his gaze fixed firmly out to sea, as well - his face pale and his expression unreadable.

"After awhile, Dad came out to see why I was still up," James continued, stopping when he heard Sirius' sharp intake of breath.

"I can just imagine what _he _thinks of me," he said, his voice tight.

"Actually, he reminded _me_ of a few things I'd let myself forget. Like the fact that you _do _tend to act before you think things through, which helped to make sense of things. And he helped me realize that you'd never hurt Remus – or any of us – intentionally. That you'd step in front of any one of us and take a curse or a hex in our place. That you and I have been more brothers than friends so that it would always be worse when one of us did something huge and stupid – like this. That sometimes it doesn't matter _why _huge and stupid happens, it just matters that we figure out why it _didn't_ happen. I know you didn't tell Snape about getting to Remus because your goal was to hurt Remus – or to endanger Pete or me or, probably, even Snape. Once I figured that out, Dad told me that I would know whether we could be friends again. He was right, no surprise there. Sirius, I _hate _what happened that night, but I hate what it did to all of us even more. I hate that we're not mates, that you moved out of the dorm and that you wouldn't talk to any of us – well, that you wouldn't talk to _me_. I hate that you went to Kate's instead of coming to my house when you left home, and even though I know why you didn't, it doesn't make me hate it any less." James felt himself start to choke up but he knew he had to finish or he wouldn't say the most important part. "I'm sorry, Padfoot. You're my brother and I want things fixed. Please want things fixed, too."

Now finished, James dared to look over at his friend and he was momentarily startled at the sight that met his eyes. Sirius sat, head down, hands covering his face. It wasn't that he was crying that stunned James, for that was not an entirely accurate description. From the shake of his shoulders and the great gasping breaths that were coming from behind his hands, James knew that he was witnessing a level of emotion that he had never seen before. He rose from his position, ignoring the pins and needles that shot down his legs and crossed the short distance to where the other wizard sat. Lowering himself gently, James reached over and pulled Sirius into a hug, letting him cry but this time, not letting him do so alone. James sat, awkwardly patting Sirius' back until the sobs lessened and finally, other than an occasional hiccup, the boy was still.

Neither knew how long they sat, but finally Sirius spoke. "I want things fixed, Jamie." His voice sounded congested and raw. He pulled back and looked at James, his breath hitching slightly. "I want you to let me show you I can be trusted again; that I won't screw up like this again. I want my brother back."

James nodded and swiped at his nose with the back of his hand. "I trust you, Sirius. I'm not going to hold every stupid thing you do up against the prank and wonder if you're going to do something like that again. This is over now – well, for _us_."

"It's more than I hoped would happen, Prongs. I have to deal with Remus when we get back to school; I know that. But if _we're_ ok again, I think I can face him when the time comes," Sirius said, scrubbing at his own face with the hem of his shirt. He looked back at James thoughtfully. "What will happen, Jamie, if _Remus_ doesn't want to patch things up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know; what happens to our friendship?" Sirius still remembered what James had said about Remus' reaction.

"Padfoot, if Remus decides to stay away from you, then you'll have one less brother, one less friend. _One_. If Remus remains my friend, then I'll be happy. If he decides he can't be friends with me because we're friends, I'll be unhappy, but it doesn't mean anything changes between us."

Sirius nodded. "Thanks, Jamie."

"Just one thing, Padfoot."

"Yeah?" Sirius' head snapped up and he looked at his friend a bit apprehensively.

James mentally shook his head when he saw Sirius' reaction. "You got snot all over my new shirt." His voice was dismal as he looked down at his wet and crumpled shirtfront. "You'd better come up with a good explanation if my mother asks what happened. I don't want to be called a 'girl' in front of Lily!"

Sirius smiled and stopped packing up 'breakfast', looking back up at his friend as he spoke. "Sorry, Jamie. Maybe we can just tell her that you did it. You got all sensitive and didn't have a handkerchief with you so you used what you had."

"Cheeky bastard." James stuffed the oranges and apples into the beach bag next to the pitcher and cups.

"Daft git." Sirius put the breakfast rolls on top of the bag. He was surprised a moment later when James grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"Nice to have you back," he said giving Sirius a very quick one-armed hug.

"Keep molesting me, Prongs and I'll have to tell Lily you're cheating on her," Sirius said through a throat that had begun to grow just a bit tight again. He descended the craggy rock and jumped the last short distance to the shingles below. When James landed next to him, Sirius gestured toward the bike path. "Let's walk over there; the footing's a bit easier."

As they walked, James looked over at his friend. "So, you're out of Grimmauld Place for good, now?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. I'm never going back there again. _Never_."

"Did she beat you again?" James felt his hackles rise thinking of the condition his best friend was found in at Christmas.

"No. She used the _Cruciatus_ on me." Sirius' voice was quiet. "My father had her put in some fancy special hospital in France to see if they can straighten her out."

"_Merlin_! Does he think they can?" James was surprised to hear that Sirius' father had done anything about the situation with his wife.

"Who knows?" Sirius shrugged. "I don't care _what _they do to her. She's never going to get her claws into _me _again, that much I can guarantee you. Listen, we can talk more about all of that another time, ok? I've had enough dark and dreary conversations for awhile." James nodded and slid to the side to bump against Sirius before taking his own side of the path back again.

The boys walked silently for a while before James spoke again. "You gonna move back into the dorm when we go back in September?"

"Sort of depends on what happens with Remus, doesn't it? I don't want to make him miserable, Jamie. Despite everything you and I talked about, I _am _guilty of letting Snape in on Remus' secret. I _did _betray him that way. If he wants me out, it seems the least I can do to accommodate him," Sirius said honestly.

"I'm thinking that the majority should rule, mate. If you want to be there and Peter and I want you there, then it's 3 to 1 in favor of you staying, isn't it?" James reasoned, knowing full well that the situation was far more complicated than that.

"I don't think things will be that easy, Prongs," Sirius said. "But let's not waste the holiday worrying about it, yeah? I've spent the past two months being miserable over one thing or another. Then, I went back to Grimmauld and things went downhill from there. I'd like two weeks where I don't have to worry about anything. Deal?"

"Deal," James nodded. He looked up, somewhat surprised to see the beach house as close as it was. "Padfoot, we've got an audience."

Sirius looked over at James then followed his gaze up to the deck. He chuckled when he saw Kate, Lily and James' mother standing at the railing, watching the two young men approach.

Sirius put his head down so the women on the deck could not see his expression. "I say we toss the beach bag, drop to the sand and start punching the _shit _out of each other; you know – really give 'em a show. Your thoughts, Prongs?"

James similarly hid his face and huffed a laugh at the suggestion. "Seems the decent thing to do; they've all worked so hard to get us to work things out. Could backfire, though, if one of us got any decent punches in. Tough to look good at the beach with teeth missing."

"Good point," Sirius concurred as they reached the steps leading to the deck. "I know – let's just go on with the day and not tell them a _thing_. It'll drive Kate and Lily 'round the twist, which should provide some entertainment – at least 'til they start slapping us. Good job that they can't do magic, isn't it?"

James smiled. "What about Mum?"

Sirius' face softened. "Her, we tell. And while we're about it, I'd like a word with your Dad, too."

James nodded. "Good plan." He punched Sirius' arm lightly, adding, "Welcome back, Padfoot."

Sirius punched him back. "Good to _be _back, Prongs. Thanks."

They walked up the wooden stairs to the deck, nodded to the women who had now turned toward the top of the steps and, without a word, walked into the house, chuckling as the doors slid closed on the surprised cries of the three witches behind them.


	48. Family, Friends & Tying Up Loose Ends

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Mature Content: Scenes of a sexual nature.

Chapter 48 – Family, Friends & Tying Up Loose Ends

While James went to the kitchen to return the assorted bits and bobs of 'breakfast', Sirius took the stairs two at a time and made a beeline for the shower. His heart was lighter than it had been in weeks despite the uncertainty that still shrouded his relationship with Remus.

Sirius waited until the water had reached the desired temperature and then stepped into the shower, closing the frosted glass door behind him. As he poured out shampoo and began scrubbing his hair, Sirius found himself looking ahead to the next two weeks with real joy. He and James had resolved their differences, James and Lily appeared to be getting on quite well and, of course, he and Kate were here, together. _A week ago, I couldn't have dared hope for _half _this_ _much_, he mused, rinsing his hair and lathering up a flannel with shower gel. _I'm going to be grateful for it and try my best not to worry about Remus until I'm back at school. _ With that thought, Sirius quickly finished his shower, drying off haphazardly before securing the towel around his waist. Walking over to the sink, Sirius used his hand to clear the steam off the mirror and reached for his razor. As he lathered up the shaving brush with soap and applied it to his face, Sirius couldn't help but think of the reaction his family would have could they see him. Grooming the _Muggle _way, instead of having a house elf or other servant use magic to do so was taboo in households like Grimmauld Place. When he started his first year at Hogwarts, however, Sirius had his first chance to get to know Muggle born witches and wizards and he found that he truly enjoyed doing some things without magic. He remembered the first time his mother had caught him shaving himself – and the rather violent reaction that had resulted. Sirius winced at his reflection as a small red dot appeared amid the remnants of white foam on his chin. _Right; no more thoughts of Grimmauld Place – or of _her, he thought to himself as he daubed the spot with a bit of tissue. A few moments later, Sirius finished and rinsed the remaining lather from his face. He was just about to quit the bathroom when a knock on the door leading to the hallway caught him by surprise. Recovering quickly, he figured that James was having a bit of fun at his expense. _I'll show _him! He took a deep breath.

"James, there are plenty of _other _bathrooms in this place, you know! But since you obviously find me so irresistible after our time on that rock, who am I to disappoint?" And, with that, Sirius adjusted the towel so it hung a bit lower on his hips and flung open the door, fully expecting to find his friend with some sarcastic response at the ready. Instead,

"_Kate_!"

"Sorry to disappoint _you_, apparently," Kate replied, certain that her own face was at least as red as that of the wizard before her.

"I – umm – I was just – ahh, _shaving_ and …" Sirius stammered, his right hand clenched in a stranglehold around the towel knot.

"You cut yourself," Kate observed, quite proud of winning the battle to keep her gaze fixed _anywhere_ but on that towel. "Just there," she gestured to her own chin to show him the spot. "Looks like it stopped bleeding, though."

"Yes. Umm, Katie? Is there something I can do for you? I mean, did you need something from me? _Bloody hell!_ Nothing I say is coming out right," Sirius said, running his free hand through his damp hair.

"I was just going to tell you that Mrs. Potter put together a bit more of a proper breakfast than James provided earlier. I came up to get you to join us all downstairs." Kate said, edging back into the hallway. She gestured toward the other door that led to the bedroom shared by the two wizards. "You should probably … you know," she trailed off, her eyes slipping downward then quickly back up to his face.

Seeing Kate's discomfiture gave Sirius back a bit of his old self. "Put on some shoes?" He struggled to keep a straight face.

Kate nodded. "Sure. Shirts, a shoe. I mean, a shoe and a pair of shirts," she stopped, closed her eyes for a moment and collected herself. "You great _prat_! Get dressed and meet me downstairs. I'm leaving." With that, she scurried down the hall, the sound of Sirius' laughter trailing after her.

XXXXXXXX

"What's _he _on about?" James asked as Kate took her place next to an empty chair at the dining table. "I can hear him barking all the way down here!" Although he did his best to grumble, James couldn't keep the grin off his own face. Padfoot's smile hadn't been seen in awhile; his laughter had been absent even longer. The return of both was gratifying, despite the fact that it would undoubtedly herald trouble for all of them at some point in the near future.

Kate felt herself blush again and groaned inwardly. "I don't think he was expecting me," she replied ruefully.

Affectionate laughter greeted her comment.

"What'd I miss?" Sirius entered a moment later and the laughter swelled a bit as he dropped into his seat next to Kate. He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek, whispering, "Is _this _outfit more what you had in mind?"

Taking in his lightweight Muggle dockers and short-sleeved white cotton t-shirt, Kate nodded, thinking that she was very lucky indeed that Sirius couldn't read her mind at the moment; the answer to his question might have shocked him.

"Ah, there you are, Sirius," Mrs. Potter smiled as she came up behind Sirius with a pot of fresh coffee. She leaned down and kissed his cheek as she passed then settled herself in the vacant chair next to Lily. "Isn't this nice and cozy?" James' mother smiled across at Kate.

"Didn't start without me, did you?" Mr. Potter came strolling in from the deck, slipping into the chair next to Sirius. He gave the boy's shoulder a squeeze, then reached for the tray of bacon. "Better get my share of this before you two pick it clean," he smiled at James and Sirius, helping himself to several crisp slices. "Ladies, I would advise you to do the same. I've seen these two in action and you'd best look lively if you don't want to starve!"

"Please, everyone; help yourselves," Mrs. Potter encouraged, pouring coffee for herself and passing the pot along to the others to do the same. For the next several minutes, the only sounds to be heard were the clink of serving spoons against china, the occasional request for sugar, cream or some other item and, through the open window, the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. Soon, everyone's plates were full and a rather elaborate late breakfast was underway.

Kate felt a hand steal into hers where it rested on her lap and she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Sirius smiling as he munched on his toast. _I'm _so _glad to see him relaxed and happy again_, she thought as she squeezed his hand and felt him return the pressure.

"What are the four of you doing on this fine day?" Mr. Potter asked as he poured himself a second cup of coffee.

"I hadn't thought," James said, looking at Lily beside him. "Lils?"

Lily shook her head and looked across the table at Kate. "Good thing we're around, isn't it? These two wouldn't do a thing with their holiday!"

Kate laughed. "Too true. Well, you'll both be relieved to hear that we thought we'd do nothing more strenuous than lie about on the beach. We've discovered a very small stretch that's covered with lovely sand rather than those very uncomfortable shingles. Seemed like a nice spot to set up camp, if you're game."

"That _does_ sound lovely," Mrs. Potter agreed. "You can take along some fruit and bottled water and make an afternoon of it."

"You're not trying to get rid of us, are you?" James eyed his parents suspiciously.

Hal feigned an innocent expression. "_Us_? Why would you think _that_?" he glanced over at his wife. "Darling, do I really look that devious?"

"Yes," came the definitive reply. "Where do you think _he _gets it? Certainly not from _me_ or mine!" Margaret rose. "Now, you go and get ready for your afternoon at the beach while I clear up here."

Sirius glanced over at James. "You go on; I'll just give your Mum a hand and I'll be upstairs to change, ok?"

James nodded and 'shushed' Lily when she started to protest. "Upstairs, Lils. I'll spill my guts to you there."

Sirius gave Kate a small smile, slipped his hand from hers and rose. He gathered his plate and hers and headed to the kitchen behind James' mother.

"Come on, Kate; let's get the story from James, here," Lily said, giving James a poke in the arm.

Kate shook her head, smiling. "I'll wait out on the patio for Sirius to finish up. You two go on ahead and chat. We'll meet here after?"

Lily and James nodded and made their way up the staircase, presumably to the sitting room situated on the opposite side of the hallway from the two bedrooms. Kate heard Lily's tinkling laugh float down the stairs before it was cut off by the sound of a door closing.

Kate smiled and situated herself on the cushioned bench at the shaded edge of the deck, settling in to wait for Sirius to join her.

XXXXXXXX

"You don't have to help me with this, you know," Margaret Potter admonished Sirius as he scraped the remnants of breakfast into the waste bin. "You should go and spend time with that lovely young woman of yours."

Sirius felt his face grow warm and he smiled. "Oh, I will; don't worry about that. You like her, too, right? Kate, I mean." Somehow, Margaret Potter's approval was important to him; important enough for him to ask.

Margaret walked over and draped her arm around his shoulders. "Yes, I do. I like Kate very much. Of course, I don't know her very well, but I can see the goodness in her. She cares very much for you, and that can only strengthen my good opinion of her."

Sirius swallowed audibly. "Thanks. I appreciate that. Listen, I didn't just come out here because I wanted to help; actually, I wanted to talk."

"Well then, let's sit down," Margaret took the plates and placed them on the counter. Taking the boy's arm, she led him over to the small, cushioned window seat just beyond the working kitchen. "What's on your mind, darling?"

It was that endearment that was nearly his undoing and Sirius wondered if he should just leave it alone, but he wanted to tell her himself, so that she knew. "I just wanted to thank you for having me here this year, especially after what happened. And to tell you that you were right; James and I talked and things are alright again."

"I'm very glad," Margaret said quietly. "And you are welcome here or with us in London at any time; you know that."

"Thank you. I have to tell you something and I want you to hear it from me because I have no idea what you might hear from someone else – or after it makes the rounds at the Ministry," Sirius began, shifting nervously in his seat.

"Go on, dear."

"I've left home and I won't be going back. You know what my life has been like there. My mother, she – well, she finally went too far. My father's stepped in and sent her somewhere; he thinks they might be able to help her," Sirius said as he watched Margaret's face. _Don't feel pity for me; don't be disgusted, either. Please. Just feel the same way about me. I know you're not my mother, but right now, you're the closest thing to it for me._

To his relief, Margaret's face was as it had always been: loving, concerned, honest. "Where will you live?"

"Hogwarts, during school terms, of course," Sirius said. "Professor Dumbledore has told me that I can go back to school before term starts, if I'd like. I might do that, I haven't had much time to think about it. My Uncle Alphard has been similarly tossed from the family tree, as well. He lives in France…"

Margaret reached over and put her hand on his arm. "Will you go to live with him?"

Sirius shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think I'll send him an owl; as a fellow _former_ member of the Black family, he might be willing to take in his newly-disowned nephew."

"You know that I meant it when I told you that you were welcome to come and stay with us, yes?"

Sirius flushed. "Yes, of course; but I don't want you to think that I told you about my situation so that you'd offer. I wouldn't do that; _you _know _that_, right?"

Margaret nodded. "Sweet, you've been a part of this family for a very long time. Both James' father and I think of you as another son. I would respect your choice to go and live with your uncle, but I would _hope_ that your first thought would be to come to _us_."

Sirius' throat tightened and he found it impossible to immediately answer her. She seemed to understand his predicament as she simply held his hand until he finally looked up at her. "Thank you; that means a lot to me. I've never really had a family – well, not like yours, anyway."

Margaret felt her own emotions rise as she listened to the boy – young man, really – next to her. _No one should have to go through what he had_, she thought to herself. _I can only imagine what 'went too far' really meant when Sirius spoke of what his mother had done when he went home_. Impulsively, Margaret leaned over and hugged Sirius. "I can't imagine what you've been through, sweetheart, but it's all over now. They cannot hurt you any longer. You've got a great many people on your side and we won't allow it to happen again."

Sirius tightened his hold on the older witch, relishing the borrowed moment of being held by a mother who truly cared about him and what happened to him; one who didn't judge him. "You said that you and Mr. Potter think of me as another son; I think of you and him as my parents. I just wanted to tell you that," he said very quietly, taking a breath and adding, "I love you."

Margaret kissed the top of his head. "I love you, too."

Sirius pulled back and smiled crookedly at her. "I think I might have officially become the biggest girl's blouse I know." He swiped at his eyes, then gestured toward his face. "I've done way more than my share of _that _in the past few weeks."

Margaret shook her head. "I think it was probably a long time coming. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, you can move forward."

Sirius rose. "Let's hope so," he said, then pointed toward the counter where the breakfast dishes were stacked and waiting. "You wash and I'll dry?"

Margaret glanced in the direction he indicated, then smiled and shook her head. "In case you've forgotten, I _am _a witch, you know. I think I might just wave my magic wand and watch them clean _themselves_ this time. You run along and have some fun; summer holiday doesn't last forever!"

"Sure?"

"Positive."

"Ok," Sirius said, smiling. "Thanks."

"Go find the others and have some fun," Margaret returned his smile and watched as he left the kitchen.

XXXXXXXX

Thirty minutes later, Margaret stood at the large sitting room window watching James, Lily, Sirius and Kate wend their way along the shoreline, toward Kate's promised 'sandy beach'. James and Sirius each carried a handle of a picnic basket while Kate and Lily carried blankets and thick cotton beach towels in addition to smaller bags with sunscreen and books. Margaret was pleased to see them all together, young, happy and – for the moment – carefree.

She was about to turn away from the window when she felt a strong pair of arms slide 'round her waist.

"And they're off," Hal said quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Yes, they are," Margaret agreed. "Lovely, aren't they? It's nice to see young people with nothing to concern them but a beautiful summer day."

"Mmm," her husband agreed, "let us hope that they have many more such opportunities."

Margaret turned around to look at her husband more closely. "There have been more reports, then."

Hal shook his head. "Nothing concrete, darling; just … rumblings. No more than we've been hearing right along." Regretful that he had allowed his thoughts to slip out, Hal smiled down at his wife. "Now, listen, Maggie, my sweet: in my line of work, there are always going to be stories about any and all manner of unpleasant things. It's been a fact of life since the earliest days of the Ministry and it's not apt to change any time soon. You know this."

Margaret nodded, a glimmer of worry remaining in her hazel eyes. "Let's hope that the _stories_ remain just that for many, many years to come."

Hal leaned down and kissed her forehead. "How was your chat with Sirius, then?" He took her arm and led her over to the sofa.

Margaret frowned slightly as she settled herself against her husband's shoulder. "He's had a tough time of it at home, I'm afraid. Walburga and Orion Black should have never been permitted to _have _children, the way they've treated Sirius."

"He's suffered quite a bit of abuse at the hands of the mother," Hal commented, his voice tinged with anger.

"He told me that he's been disowned; he can't go back to his family's home," Margaret advised him. "I can't say that I'm unhappy."

Hal shook his head. "Nor can I. He'll stay with us, of course."

Margaret smiled then lifted her head and kissed her husband's cheek. "That's exactly what _I _said. You're a wonderful man, Harold Potter."

A light blush crept across the older wizard's cheeks. "Well, I would have to be, wouldn't I – to have caught _your_ eye?"

XXXXXXXX

"He's better now, isn't he? Sirius, I mean," Lily shaded her eyes and looked out at the water where the young wizard in question was happily treading water and talking with James.

Kate put aside her book and followed Lily's gaze, smiling as she watched the two young men splashing each other and heard the resulting laughter. "I think he is," she nodded. "Despite the fact that he is responsible for this estrangement, Sirius has missed James terribly."

"Being the cause of the problem undoubtedly made it worse for him," Lily observed. She looked down at Kate, propped up on her elbows next to her. "It's more than just reconciling with James, though; Sirius is … _different_, somehow. Not _subdued_, necessarily, but definitely … I don't know – more low-key, perhaps?"

"No, I think 'subdued' is the more accurate term," Kate replied. "You can't go through what he has and emerge unchanged. I really believe that all the time he spent alone forced him to think about a lot of things – and his life has changed as a result."

"James said he's left Grimmauld Place – for good," Lily looked over at the water as the sound of a very loud _splash_ reached their ears.

"_Prongs!_ You great, bloody _git_! Wait 'til I get my hands on _you_!" Sirius' attempt at outrage failed miserably and his barking laugh soon accompanied another sharp _splash_ as James suffered payback for his earlier actions.

The girls laughed at their antics, then Kate picked up the thread of their conversation. "James is right; Sirius' mother has disowned him."

Lily inhaled sharply. "I'm torn between being thankful that she can't continue to hurt him and anxious over where he'll live," she admitted to her friend.

Kate reached over and squeezed Lily's hand. "I'm sure he'll appreciate the fact that your first thought of him doesn't involve a wand and a stinging hex."

Lily smiled. "I can't imagine what's come over me!"

"Neither can I, but I'll bet it's the same thing that's made you reconsider your feelings for James!"

Lily was about to issue her own lively retort when the pounding of bare feet on sand caught her attention instead.

James and Sirius threw themselves down on the large blanket, spraying both young witches with saltwater droplets that spiraled from their hair and swimming shorts.

"_Hey_," the redhead cried out. "You're like two unruly, overgrown _dogs_ with all your flailing about! Watch yourselves, please!"

At Lily's first comment, Sirius' head shot up in Kate's direction and they locked eyes. Kate could see the anxiety in his blue eyes and she shook her head slightly to show him that she had _no_ intention of revealing his secret. He smiled and rose, taking the towel she offered.

"C'mon, Prongs," he called, taking several steps away from the blanket. "Let's dry off over here and keep the girls happy, shall we?"

"There. Spoken like a true gentleman," Lily said, giving James a light push on the shoulder to motivate him. "I don't see why _you _can't …" she allowed her voice to trail off, suddenly horrified at what she had been about to say. Kate wasn't letting her get away with it, however.

"What was that, Lils? Were you about to ask James why he couldn't be more gentlemanly – like _Sirius_?" Lily looked over to see her best friend with a much larger-than-normal grin on her face.

"Well, _damn_," Lily drawled. "I guess I _was_, at that."

"I'm certainly insulted," James griped, standing next to Sirius and toweling his unruly hair rapidly. With a bark-like laugh, Sirius flopped back down on the blanket, stretching out, cross-wise, on the blanket with his head in Kate's lap.

"Get over it, Jamie," he drawled, closing his eyes while Kate stroked his dark hair. "You know," he added, opening one eye and turning his face in the direction of his friend, "you might get this kind of treatment if you were more '_gentlemanly like Sirius_'." With a teasing grin, Sirius turned back to his original position.

"Oh, all _right_," Lily said a few moments later. "Stop pouting and come over here."

Once both wizards had settled themselves, Lily glanced over at Kate and Sirius before speaking. "Sirius, I just wanted to say that I'm glad things are better for you now. That you and James have worked this all out between you."

Sirius opened his eyes and sat up, putting himself much closer to the redheaded witch than he'd been moments before. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Lils," he said, sincerely. "Maybe if I'd listened to you when you tried to talk to me at school, things might have been resolved sooner."

"You weren't ready," a blushing Lily replied. When James took a breath to add his own thoughts, she gently put her hand over his mouth. "It had to happen when you were. May I ask you something?" At his nod, she continued, "Where will you live now?"

Sirius smiled, glancing down at James. "Well, it seems I have a couple of different options. Dumbledore has said I could come back to Hogwarts early if I'd like. Of course, James' mum has said that I can plan to come and live with them for holidays, as well."

James sat up sharply. "Well, the choice is obvious, mate; you'll come live here where you belong."

Sirius smiled and settled back down on the blanket. He gave Kate a warm smile before continuing. "Thanks, Jamie. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I'll do when these two weeks are up. I'll decide before we leave here, though."

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Lily asked. "About everything that happened with your family, I mean?"

Before he could answer, James jumped in. "His family is _right here_. He's part of the Potters now." James' voice was firm. "And everything is _just fine_."

Sirius caught Lily's eye and shook his head. "I think she meant with the Blacks, James," he said. "I worry about Regulus; he was the one who got in touch with my father and made him come back to London after my mother – well, after everything happened. He's stuck there now – and without me to take the heat from our parents, I'm afraid the pressure will be too much for him."

"You'll see him at school, though," Kate added. "Perhaps you'll be able to keep up with him there."

Sirius reached up and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss. "Maybe. I hope that what happened with me has scared him enough that he'll want to turn away from them. It _could_ do the opposite, though; Regulus just might think it's better to go along with them and avoid taking my path." He kept hold of Kate's hand and brought it to rest against his chest as he turned his face toward the water and grew quiet again.

Lily nudged James' shoulder and, when she had his attention, she inclined her head in the other couple's direction. "Let's go for a walk," she mouthed silently. James nodded, rose and extended his hand to help her up. Kate looked at Lily who smiled, took James' hand and, together, they walked over toward the bicycle path.

"Deserted us, have they?" Sirius murmured, shading his eyes with his free hand and looking up at Kate.

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded. "Whatever shall we do with ourselves?"

Sirius grinned wickedly and tugged on her hand. "Get down here."

Kate leaned down and Sirius kissed her gently. "Bloody awkward position, this," he grumbled.

"Sit up," Kate said. When he had done so, she scooted down until she was lying on her side, her head propped up on her hand. She pointed to the spot next to her on the blanket. "_Get down here_," she smiled and he complied, mirroring her position.

Kate reached over and cupped his cheek in her hand. "_Are _you ok now?"

Sirius turned his head slightly and kissed her palm. "Better than ok." He leaned over and captured her lips again, pulling her closer to him. When they broke for air, Kate looked at him. "You know, people could walk down here and stumble across us."

Sirius shook his head. "Can't. The Potters own this part of the beach. Even if the people in those houses down there looked out of the window, we're sheltered in three directions by these big boulders." He grinned. "I can snog you senseless and no one would be the wiser!"

Kate smiled. "Then you'd best get started before James and Lily come back."

Sirius raised his eyebrows then smiled in return. "Minx." He wrapped his arms around Kate and rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He relaxed his legs so she could settle comfortably between them. "You make a lovely beach blanket, Miss Morgan," he whispered, smiling. "Kiss me."

Kate lowered her face to his and placed a kiss on each eyelid, his forehead, the tip of his nose, each cheek and, finally, on his lips. What began as a gentle kiss quickly escalated into a more intense, passionate expression of their feelings. Sirius thrilled when he felt Kate's tongue brush against the seam of his lips and he immediately gave her access. She explored the contours of his mouth, relishing the soft moans her caresses provoked. Eventually, Sirius gently pushed her tongue into retreat and he took control of the kiss, tasting her, teasing her – becoming lost in her.

Kate was dizzy with the feelings and emotions coursing through her as their kisses continued. She began to feel an insistent pressure against her abdomen and recognized the effect their activity was having on Sirius. He was not alone. Kate's breathing was quickening and she there was an insistent, burning feeling between her legs. She felt Sirius gently shift until his arousal aligned intimately with her sex and she gasped at the sensation.

"Katie," he groaned into her mouth, sucking gently on her tongue as he moved his hips rhythmically beneath her. Kate whimpered at the sensation the friction created on her sensitive flesh and ground herself against him in an effort to create more of it.

"Oh, _Sirius_," she murmured, moving her mouth to the sensitive flesh of his ear, nibbling on the lobe in time with their movements. The pressure continued to build and she knew her suit was becoming increasingly wet with her own arousal. Kate began to push herself down against his clothed erection with more force, more speed and dropped her mouth to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, kissing and licking a spot that lifted Sirius' passion to another level. He brought his hands down to cup her buttocks and held her in place while he rubbed and thrust himself against her.

"_Sirius,_" Kate cried softly, climbing steadily toward release. Sirius had her firmly anchored against him and, at her cry, he sped up his movements, driving both of them quickly toward the edge.

"_Katie_," he groaned. "I can't … I'm …_oh_!"

Kate felt him swell against her, then pulse and suddenly she felt an explosion deep inside her as she reached her own climax. She shook as she felt herself break, crying out Sirius' name as she felt a wet warmth spread between them.

They lay together, breathing harshly, Sirius' arms wrapped tightly around Kate's body. When she could move, Kate raised her head and looked down at him. Sirius' blue eyes locked on hers and his expression was clearly anxious. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kate silenced him with a kiss. "I love you," she whispered against his lips when they were finished.

"I love you, too," he whispered back. "I'm … I let thing get a bit out of control. I'm sorry; it's just that I want you _so much_ and …"

"Shh," Kate said, raising her hand and placing a finger against his lips. "There's nothing to apologize for; I know how difficult it is for you that I haven't been ready to …"

Sirius shook his head. "My turn to interrupt," he said softly. "You have the right to decide when you're ready to sleep with me – absolutely. I don't resent you for that, at all. I respect you for it. I just hope that this," he gestured between them, "hasn't compromised that."

Kate kissed him again. "_This_," she gestured between them in echo of his earlier movement, "was _incredible_. I've never felt like that before." She paused for a moment, blushing a bit. "Sirius, I _do _want you – now more than ever. Soon – I promise you."

Sirius kissed her gently once and then again. She shifted a bit when pulling back and he grimaced. "Umm, Kate? Care to take a dip before James and Lily get back?"

Kate lifted up slightly and looked between them. "Not a bad idea," she agreed.

"It's cold," Sirius warned as they separated then stood on the blanket.

Kate smiled wryly. "I could do with some cooling off; you?"

Sirius returned her grin with one of his own. "Race you," he teased and the two of them took off at a run across the soft sand and plunged into the cool water.

James and Lily were walking hand in hand back toward the blanket when they saw their friends emerge from the shelter of the large rocks and race toward the water. Each smiled to themselves as they watched the two dive beneath the waves and surface seconds later, moving toward each other and embracing.

James took a step toward the beach, but Lily put her hand on his arm to draw him back. "Don't," she said quietly. "Let them be. They've both been through enough this past year. Besides," Lily grinned mischievously, "I've heard there's another formation of rocks – very like this one – a little further down the beach. Care to go exploring with me?"

James' eyebrows drew together for a moment then his face cleared as he realized that what she was suggesting. He cleared his throat. "Well, I certainly can't have you wandering about the beach by yourself, can I? You could get lost or hurt or something."

Lily nodded, tugging on his hand. "Or something…"

James smiled and tightened his hold as they retraced their steps to the path.


	49. Sunny With a Tiny Glimpse of Overcast

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** None for this chapter

Chapter 49 – Sunny With a Tiny Glimpse of Overcast

The first week of their summer holiday passed almost before the group realized it. Days were spent lolling on the beach – English skin slathered in protective sun block, running – Sirius had gotten James to try it and had gained a running partner as a result - and generally relaxing by themselves and with James' parents.

They all settled into a rather pleasant routine of late breakfasts, after which the four young people would head off on one adventure or another while the Potters pursued their own interests. Everyone would come back together for a light lunch and shared stories from their respective morning pursuits. Generally, the entire group traipsed off on a preplanned excursion that lasted past teatime; dinners and evenings had no planned pattern. The four teenagers had sampled Brighton Beach's nightlife once or twice, finding the Muggle side of things much more enjoyable than the wizard. Lily, of course, was well versed in the Muggle way of life, her friends far less so, although Kate ran a moderate second in that regard. Her father had felt very strongly that discrimination against any group or class was the result of ignorance and Roderick stood firm in his determination that Kate would not be so hampered. He exposed her to Muggle cinema, theater and holidays while the family lived in America; in fact, Kate had briefly taken ballet classes from a former principal dancer with the famed Boston Ballet Company. James and Sirius, however, were far less familiar but proved to be very enthusiastic students.

On their first evening 'on the town', as James called it, they wandered into a beachfront club, lured by the pulsing bass line of dance music. They had been inside less than five minutes when a young man in tight leather trousers and kohl black pencil lining his brown eyes approached the group. Immediately focusing on Sirius, 'David' introduced himself then asked him if he liked to dance.

Sirius barely looked at the boy as he smiled and nodded; he was too enthralled with the lights, the music and the sight of all the people dancing wildly on the small dance floor. "Looks like fun, doesn't it? I've never had much of a chance to try it."

"Come on, then; I'll teach you!" Sirius ignored Lily's shoulder tapping attempts and, with a grin, followed the teenager out onto the floor. Halfway there, however, he turned around and motioned to Kate to join them.

"This should be rich," Lily chuckled as Kate shrugged her shoulders and made her way through the crowd to where Sirius and David were standing.

"Hi," Kate said to David as she drew level with them.

The young man looked at her curiously and smiled then turned to Sirius. "What's up, mate?" He inclined his head in Kate's direction.

Sirius leaned down and kissed Kate's cheek. "I reckon if you're going to teach me to dance, it's just as easy to teach Kate, too." He smiled at the young man, thinking that his point was rather obvious.

David looked at Kate. "She's your …"

"Girlfriend." Sirius turned to Kate, smiling and giving her a wink before looking back at the young man in front of him.

David looked Sirius up and down appreciatively before shaking his head. "Not quite what I had in mind," he confessed regretfully.

Sirius just stared at him for a moment – and then the penny dropped. "Oh, _blimey_ – you thought I was …?"

"Well, this _is _a gay dance club," David said.

"But dancing is dancing, right?" Sirius reasoned. "I mean, look – I like birds, ok? But you know how to dance and I … don't – at least not like _that_," Sirius paused and looked around at the dancers clustered together on the floor. "Are you saying that just because you like blokes you can't teach me? Us?"

It was David's turn to look surprised. Finally, he smiled, shrugged and shook his head. "No; no, I'm not saying that." He lifted his chin in the direction of James and Lily. "You might as well bring them over, too. If I'm going to teach, I might as well hold a class!"

Kate smiled, excused herself and walked back to where their friends stood. She stopped in front of them and smiled. "You won't believe this, but we have a dance class to go to!" She took Lily's hand. "Grab James, Lils; time to boogie!"

Three hours later, as the club closed for the night, four old friends – and several new ones - danced their way down the steps and stood on the narrow sidewalk, making their good-byes. Hands were shaken all 'round and, with promises to look for each other one evening before everyone left town, the group broke up and went their separate ways.

James, Lily, Kate and Sirius abandoned the street in favor of walking along the bike path and putting themselves that much closer to the ocean. While three of them walked along at a leisurely pace, Sirius propelled himself forward on the path with bursts of dance steps and turns. Still immersed in the feeling of how much better his life had recently become, Sirius suffered the laughter of his friends with good humor.

"Admit it, Evans; I've got a foot for dancing," he grinned cheekily at the redhead as he finally fell in step with the others.

"Hmm,' she replied. "I _will_ say, Mr. Black, that you were one very cool customer back there."

Sirius reached over and grasped Kate's hand as they continued to walk along the path. "What do you mean?"

"I guess I never thought you'd be quite as calm and collected as you were, having another guy hit on you," Lily explained, smiling at him.

Sirius shrugged. "He was nice enough about it when I told him I was with Kate. It wasn't a big deal."

"Most traditional Purebloods, Mr. _Black_, aren't very _accepting_ of homosexuality, is all," James put in, rolling his eyes.

Sirius turned around, walking backward and grinning evilly. "I _know_," he said. "Me mum _'ates_ 'em," he drawled, affecting an exaggerated Cockney accent as he grabbed Kate and twirled her around before resuming his manic dance steps down the bike path.

"And _that_, ladies and gentlemen, is another opportunity for rebellion realized," James murmured, watching Sirius' progress.

"Oh, I think he's already gotten the ultimate rebellion, don't you?" Kate asked softly. "He's walked away from them all with no intention of returning. How do you top something like that?"

"Oi! Are you three going to stand there all night or are we going to have that bombfire Lily talked about?" Sirius stood several lengths ahead of them, hands on hips.

"It's _bonfire_, you lunatic," James hollered back, laughing affectionately. "Come on, ladies before the big git sets _himself_ on fire!"

XXXXXXXX

On the second Saturday of their holiday, Hal came back to the house with a flyer he'd come across while purchasing supplies in town. It seemed that the town was hosting a small outdoor band concert that evening, complete with fireworks, and the group decided it might be fun to stroll down to that section of the beach and enjoy the music.

Dinner was a merry affair with cold chicken, pasta and green salads, fresh fruit – and much laughter. The women had gone shopping in a small town a few miles inland and had come back with several small 'treasures' unearthed in some of the antique shops there. Kate had found a bracelet made of hand-blown glass beads in various shades of blue and coral. Lily had found an old cookbook with various recipes for cakes and breads. Although the tome appealed conceptually to the boys, there was much elbowing and chuckling behind hands over her potential abilities to actually _bake_ anything. To her credit, Lily pointedly ignored them.

"And what about you, my dear? What treasure did _you _find?" Hal asked Margaret.

"Oh, nothing nearly as exciting as the girls' purchases," the older witch smiled. "I just found an old wooden bowl that would be useful for salads and such."

"And anything edible that Lily managed to turn out from that cookbook of hers," James chuckled, earning himself a sharp kick to his shins from the would-be baker.

"Pay no attention to him, Lily," Hal advised, reaching for another piece of chicken.

"That _used _to work for me, Mr. Potter, but now…" Lily shrugged smiling ruefully.

"…_now_, however, she realizes the error of her previous ways and she can't get enough of me," James put in, grinning stupidly at the young witch, who rolled her eyes at him and applied herself to her salad.

"Have you three ever seen fireworks?" Hal inquired.

Both Kate and Lily nodded, but Sirius shook his head. "It would appear that I'm behind the times with most things," he said smiling. "What are they?"

"Difficult to explain, actually; it involves Muggle science and I'm afraid that I'm no expert in that subject," Hal confessed. "I _can_ tell you, however, that it involves some type of explosive powder charge that's ignited and sent into the sky where it detonates and bursts into color and patterns that are very beautiful, indeed."

"And quite romantic," Margaret added, squeezing her husband's arm fondly. "I'm sure you young people will thoroughly enjoy yourselves." She blushed as Hal lifted her hand to his lips. "And perhaps the not-so-young people will do so, as well," he added.

XXXXXXXX

As it turned out, the concert location was a bit of a hike down the dimly lit beach walk and so the group decided to take the car the Potters had hired for their vacation. Magically enlarged in the same manner as the Evans', everyone was seated quite comfortably for the ten-minute drive to the band concert.

As they pulled into the town proper, the main street was fairly congested and available parking appeared to be at a premium. Just as they were about to try their luck on the outskirts of the central area of the town, a large vehicle pulled out of an end space and Hal swiftly maneuvered his car into the spot.

The group quickly unloaded the car of blankets, large throw pillows, low-lawn chairs and sweatshirts in case the sea air turned chilly for the fireworks' display. Laughing and talking amongst themselves, the little band of friends made their way toward the little gazebo where the local musicians were already tuning up their instruments. It didn't take them long to find a spot, spread out their blankets and chairs and make themselves comfortable.

Hal, Kate, Lily and Margaret took the low-lawn chairs while Sirius and James preferred to sprawl on the blanket, resting their upper bodies against the legs of their respective girlfriends. They passed the time watching the crowd, the girls giggling at the cheeky running commentary provided by the younger wizards. James was particularly amused by a woman in quite a large straw hat with an assortment of silk flowers strewn around its brim. She was dressed in cotton trousers and matching jacket and was juggling two toddlers and a rather large beach bag. The children were, apparently, driving her to distraction – and had been doing so since they left their cottage, if her comments were anything to go by. As she commanded her "troops", leading each by the hand, her flowers wiggled and swayed dangerously with every toss of her head. The younger wizard had just launched into a deliciously wicked – and accurate – impression of the young woman when a familiar voice sounded behind them.

"Doesn't seem like this will be our kind of dance music, does it, mates?"

The four young people turned to see David standing with some of the crowd they'd met at the dance club. They laughed and rose to greet them, introducing James' parents to the newcomers. Hal and Margaret laughed heartily when David launched into the story of how they had all met and agreed that this band concert probably wouldn't lend itself to much dancing. After a few more minutes spent visiting, the group regretfully said they needed to rejoin the rest of their friends. Before leaving, David paused to remind James and Sirius of their promise to try to get together for another "dance night" before the holiday ended. The boys happily agreed and a tentative date was set for the following Wednesday evening. They had not yet retaken their seats when another, far less welcome visitor made his presence known.

"I must say that you've chosen some … _interesting _friends since leaving home, Black," a familiar voice spoke out.

Sirius and James both turned to see Lucius Malfoy and Vincent Crabbe standing at the edge of the Potters' spot. Sirius noted that while Lucius had addressed him, the blonde wizard's focus was clearly on the departing group.

Mindful of the Potters' presence, Sirius merely nodded once. "Malfoy."

Lucius scanned the group on the blanket before turning his cool gaze back to Sirius. "Your family may not be as _accepting_ of diversity as _you_ appear to be," he spoke loudly enough for everyone in Sirius' group to overhear. Sirius returned the favor.

"_This_ is my family, Malfoy; theirs is the only opinion that matters to me."

Malfoy smirked back at him. "May I quote you on that?"

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "You may do whatever you'd like, but I can't imagine you'll get much of a reaction at Grimmauld Place any longer. I've been _disowned_, Malfoy; blown right off the Black family tapestry, as it were. I would have thought you'd know that."

Malfoy raised one elegant eyebrow. "Narcissa was told only that you'd left home."

Sirius took two steps forward, closing most of the distance between them. "A couple rounds of the _Cruciatus_ at the wand of a parent will help to make up your mind. Narcissa didn't know about _that_, eh?"

Malfoy was unable to hide his astonishment at Sirius' revelation but recovered quickly. "We'll miss you at family gatherings, then," he managed.

Sirius stepped back, a wry grin on his face. "I doubt it." His gaze shifted to the hulking figure of Crabbe, standing just behind Malfoy's left shoulder. Sirius lifted his chin in the direction of the silent wizard. "You'd better move along, Lucius; Crabbe is starting to look _anxious_. We wouldn't want him stomping on the locals in his haste to find the refreshment booth, would we? Leaves such a bad impression on the children."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Careful, Black … or is it _Potter_, now? You'll still have to deal with all of us when the new term begins."

Sirius smiled at the other wizard. "Oh, it's still Black, although I'd be proud if it _was _Potter. And I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy – or your little group of Dark wizards. I never have been. As I was saying, you'd better move along; the show's about to start." With that, Sirius turned on his heel and reclaimed his seat at Kate's feet. He never gave the two Slytherin wizards another glance and, a moment or two later, the two turned and left.

Kate leaned forward and kissed the top of Sirius' head. "Good for you," she said quietly. "Sanctimonious, self-important _idiot_ and his marginally trained _troll_ had it coming to them!"

Sirius turned and stared at Kate for a moment, a slow smile forming on his face. "You know, Katie-girl, you should really learn to say what's on your mind. It's not healthy to bottle things up!"

Kate shook her head and smiled back at him.

"Cyril Malfoy is well represented in that boy; perfect example of the phrase, 'like father, like son'," Hal commented. "You handled yourself well, son; I'm proud of you."

Only Kate noticed Sirius' rather emotional reaction to the warm praise as the band loudly struck up the first notes of a rather up-tempo tune. She gently pushed against his back and he obligingly leaned forward so she could slide from her chair. Grabbing a throw pillow, Kate lay back on the blanket, propping up her head and shoulders on the large, firm cushion. She smiled at Sirius and patted her stomach and, with a crooked grin, he made himself comfortable with Kate as _his_ pillow. Once he was settled, Kate began stroking her fingers through his dark waves and Sirius exhaled happily. He turned toward her. "Thank you," he murmured, giving her a small wink.

There was a rustling noise next to them and both glanced over to find their mirror image in James and Lily.

"Alright, there, Jamie?" Sirius called over the music.

"Never better," came the smiling response. "_Oi_, Lily, that's my hair you're yanking on."

"She can't help it, Jamie," Sirius chimed in, laughing. "There's no such thing as 'running fingers through' _that_ hair!"

"Gentlemen," Margaret admonished, leaning toward them and endeavoring to sound stern. "Some of us came here to enjoy the music."

Suitably chastened and unable to see Margaret's smile in the gathering darkness, the young men settled down.

Sirius reached up and caught Kate's hand where it rested against his hair. Entwining their fingers, he brought their hands to rest on his chest, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in time with the now gentle music. He felt himself begin to nod off as the combination of the lazy summer evening, the slow music and Kate's presence served to relax him.

"Hey, you," Kate's voice caught his attention and Sirius opened his eyes to see her smiling down at him. "Awake, are you?"

"Of course," Sirius said, struggling to sit up. He yawned widely then grinned at her. "Now I am." He looked around to find them alone on the blanket. "Where did everyone go?"

"It's intermission," Kate explained. "They've gone off in search of flavored ices. Care to explore?"

Sirius nodded, rose and then extended his hand to help her up. Once Kate reached an upright position, Sirius pulled her in close and kissed her lips gently. "I love you," he whispered. "Reckoned it was time I reminded you."

Kate smiled against his mouth then returned the soft kiss. "I love you back," she said. "And even though I don't need the reminder, it's really nice to hear."

They walked hand-in-hand in the direction the others had gone and soon came upon a vendor selling Italian ices. Sirius bought them each a lemon ice and the two slowly made their way back to their spot. As they walked, Sirius saw Malfoy seated under a very posh-looking canopy with several other Slytherins he recognized from their year – his cousins Narcissa and Bellatrix amongst them. True to form, the group had placed themselves quite far away – and above – any of the others gathered for the event. Sirius found himself wondering why they had even bothered to come.

When they reached the blanket, the others had also returned and James leaned over to speak with Sirius. "Did you see Malfoy and company up on that little hill?"

Sirius nodded, digging into the frozen concoction to free some of the ice before saying more. "I don't think they're here for the culture, do you?"

James shook his head and chuckled. "Dad said much the same thing. Maybe you really _are _a Potter by blood."

Sirius smiled. "Nope, just by choice, Jamie; just by choice."

James nodded. "Just as good – maybe better." He dug away at his own ice for a moment. "Still, I wonder what made them come. It's like they're on some kind of surveillance or something."

"I know. Same thing occurred to me when I saw them. They're like a bunch of vultures, sitting up there waiting for their chance to swoop down on us. It's odd," Sirius agreed.

"Bears watching," James glanced in the direction of the Slytherin gathering.

"What are you two muttering about?" Lily asked.

"Malfoy and company are sitting under a ritzy looking canopy halfway up that little hill beside where we bought the ices," James answered. "We think they're up to something. Really, why would they come to a place predominantly filled with Muggles unless they were?"

Lily leaned back until she could see the hill. "The LeStranges have a summer house here. It's on the other side of the town, up high on some cliffs. I'm sure they're all here on holiday – just as we are."

James blinked several times, staring at her. "_Merlin's beard_, how do you know that?"

Lily shrugged. "Severus told me last year. Malfoy had invited him along last summer but his father wouldn't let him go. Tobias Snape can be a selfish, cruel man."

"Maybe he's related to my mother," Sirius put in, anxious to move on to another topic.

His wish was granted when the musicians again settled into the gazebo and began to tune up their instruments for the second half of the concert.

Sirius and Kate were sitting quite close together, shoulders touching, so it was relatively easy for them to converse in some degree of privacy.

"Do you really think they're plotting something up there?" Kate nodded toward the hillside.

Sirius looked at her and shrugged. "Dunno." He drained the last of his ice and set down the empty cup before turning back toward Kate. "Look, James overheard his mum and dad talking the other night and Mr. Potter was saying that there are stories going 'round the Ministry about some new dark wizard stirring up the purebloods. You know – doing a lot of barking about half-breeds and Muggles and how they're ruining our world – our _race_."

"Is it true, do you think?" Kate sounded slightly nervous as she cast another glance over toward where Malfoy and his cronies were situated.

"Mr. Potter seemed to think that there was some truth to it, but he also said that it's not new. Every once in awhile, some pureblood rediscovers a love for Dark magic and starts stomping around, making a big noise and scaring people. The purebloods all get their pride on – not that they don't have it on all the time anyway – and join in. Some half bloods might get roughed up in the bargain, but the MLE sorts it all out in the end and anyone who's hurt anyone else is arrested. Mr. Potter says that no one wants another situation like we had with Grindelwald, so they stay on top of any reports that come in." Sirius leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, Katie-girl; the _snakes_ aren't going to do anything here, where they can be seen – especially with the LeStranges owning a house so close by."

Kate listened intently to Sirius and felt better when he'd finished speaking. His comments about the Slytherins avoiding conflict here in the open made sense and when factored in with Mr. Potter's observations, their logic overcame her nerves. She smiled. "Ok; I'll stop worrying."

"Good girl." Sirius said, rising to his knees and maneuvering around on the blanket until he was behind her. Once there, Sirius sat, pulling Kate gently back until she was seated in the "v" of his legs, back against his chest. "There," he murmured, "isn't this comfortable?"

Kate folded her arms over his where they wrapped loosely around her waist. "Very."

Sirius rested his chin lightly on the top of Kate's head and breathed deeply of the light, sweet scent of her shampoo. "You smell so good," he murmured, giving her head a quick kiss. "Like lemons and flowers all smashed together."

Kate giggled at his turn of phrase. "Thank you; although that's quite a disturbing mental image. Poor little lemons and flowers…" She suppressed a small squeal when he tickled her ribs in response.

"Shut it, you," he growled, reminiscent of his alter ego. That reminded him that he had not yet informed James of Kate's introduction to Padfoot. Sirius made a mental note to do so later that night – as well as to reassure his friend that as far as Kate knew, Padfoot and Moony ran alone. He didn't need to have James think he'd spilled another secret so soon on the heels of their reconciliation. _Wish they all knew about Padfoot,_ he thought. _Those big teeth would have come in handy a while ago when that git Malfoy had strolled by._

"You've gone quiet, there, Mr. Black," Kate's voice brought him out of his musings.

Sirius tightened his arms around her. "Just wool-gathering, love."

"About what happened earlier? With Malfoy?"

"No, actually; I was thinking more about dogs. Big dogs. Big black dogs," he smiled, leaning his head around until he caught her eye, and winking.

Kate smiled. "Hmm. As it happens, I like big, black dogs." She half turned in his arms, her expression curious. "What made you think of that?"

"I was thinking that without him, I'd missed the opportunity to bite Malfoy's pureblooded arse," he muttered, smiling broadly.

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm not so sure this whole alter ego thing is a good idea. The thought of the havoc you wreak in your usual form is daunting enough, but factor in the capabilities of your canine self and the opportunity for disaster boggles the mind!"

She was spared his response and instead felt him jump as a huge explosion of color and sound filled the sky. On a beach located a safe distance away from the onlookers, the fireworks display had begun. The band members put down their instruments to become spectators with their audience scattered about the lawn.

Kate leaned back against Sirius' shoulder and turned her head to watch his face as he took in his very first fireworks show. While she, herself, loved the color and sparkling patterns decorating the night sky, Kate found that seeing them through his eyes was particularly memorable. As each rocket burst, sending dizzying patterns of light through the air, Sirius' expression would register an almost child-like delight. For the next half hour, Kate alternated between watching the sky and watching him and she found herself very sorry indeed when the show ended. By the time the final _BOOM_ sounded, the crowd was on its feet, cheering and applauding and the Potters and their guests were no different. When it became apparent there was nothing more to come, everyone reluctantly began to pack up their belongings to head home. As Sirius tore his gaze from the sky, he caught Kate looking at him and he fixed her with a bemused expression.

"What?"

Kate simply shook her head, stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I love you," she said then turned away to help Lily and Margaret fold blankets. Sirius watched her for a few moments before turning to help James and Hal fold their chairs and divide their belongings for the short walk to the car.

A short time later everyone loaded back into the car and before they knew it, they were back at the Potter's beach house. Unloading took little time and the two young couples shoo'd the elder Potters inside while they packed the lawn chairs and beach blankets and pillows into the stone shed at the back of the house.

They entered the house and walked into the kitchen to find Margaret and Hal sitting at the table while a brown owl munched on some shortbread on the counter.

"That's a Hogwarts' owl, isn't it?" Lily asked, immediately thinking of O.W.L. scores which could come at any time.

Margaret nodded, looking at Sirius standing in the doorway with an apprehensive look on his face. "It's for you, darling; from Professor Dumbledore. We're holding the owl here in case you need to reply."

Sirius nodded and took the rolled parchment from Margaret's hand. "Thanks," he murmured, perching on one of the leather stools at the breakfast bar.

"_Sirius, _the note began, _I hope that you are well and enjoying time by the sea with your friends. I am indeed warmed by the thought that you are embraced so affectionately by such a loving family as the Potters. I write with news of your mother who has been released from the treatment facility in France into the care of which your father entrusted her. She is back at Grimmauld Place and, I'm told, has expressed a desire to speak with you. I have assured her that you will decline to do so but I am concerned that she will make every effort to find you to make such a meeting happen. I must reiterate to you that she cannot hurt you, but I feel that you have had enough unpleasantness at her hands and that you would not wish any of that experience on your friends should she take it upon herself to pay a call or two on them. _

_In short, my boy, I feel that perhaps an early return to Hogwarts may be the best choice for you once your holiday at Brighton has concluded. I suspect that you might have considered returning to London with the Potters and I regret making this alternative recommendation. I will say that I have no objection to any of your friends returning with you, but feel compelled to advise that due to the illness of an elderly aunt in northern France and his parents' need to travel to care for her, you will not be without company if they do not. _

_Remus is scheduled to arrive shortly after your own return. _

_Please be so kind as to send Horatio back with your reply, for which I will be eagerly waiting. _

_My best – Professor A. Dumbledore"_

"Sirius?" James came over to stand next to his friend, who handed him the parchment.

"Well," Sirius said to the rest of the group, "it seems that my mother has indirectly made my decision for me about where I will spend the rest of the summer holiday."

"You're returning to Hogwarts, then," Kate guessed.

"I am," Sirius replied, smiling softly at her. "Or risk her paying a call at whichever of your homes I would otherwise be visiting."

"Well, you're not going back alone," James said, looking over at his parents who nodded at their son, correctly guessing what he was about to announce.

"If you go back early, then I'm coming with you," James said, looking directly at Sirius.

"Well, my mum already agreed that if this happened, I could return early as well," Kate reminded him.

Lily smiled. "Perhaps we can get our O.W.L. results directly from the Headmaster and end this ghastly wait!"

Sirius nodded at all of them. "Thanks, you lot; I really appreciate it. There _is_ something else you should know before you start packing your trunks and making plans." He paused, looking directly at James before finishing, "Remus will be returning early as well. I have no idea how things will go between us and you all may decide you need a break from all that tension before term begins again. If you do, I understand."

James put his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I can't speak for everyone, mate, but I think it's better if you have a bit of support going in. I can take it."

The girls nodded and Hal spoke up. "Seems unanimous to me, son. Why don't you send that owl on its way back to Dumbledore and then let's get some sleep. We can talk about all of this in the morning when we're rested, yes?"

Sirius nodded and took the quill Margaret offered to him. Hastily scribbling a few lines in response – including the head count of the returning students – Sirius patted the owl on its head, affixed the parchment securely to its leg and watched it soar off, over the water and into the night.


	50. Friendship Broken

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Mild violence; language.

Chapter 50 – A Friendship Broken

Dumbledore's owl had been thoroughly discussed between the two younger couples, as the ramifications of Walburga Black's return to London seemed to be quite far-reaching. James was unconcerned about any potential visit she might pay to his family (_"Dad'll have her arse in Azkaban quicker than she can say 'Unforgiveable'"_, the boy had said darkly – and Sirius knew the statement was entirely accurate.). Kate, however, was more apprehensive than she let on; having knowledge they did not of the history between their two families. Sirius reassured her by saying that his father had kept private the details of what had happened that night at Grimmauld Place. He added that Orion was well aware of Sirius' intent to have nothing further to do with his parents or his previous home in London. The fact that Walburga wished to speak with her elder son didn't surprise Sirius in the slightest; she, however, had no way of knowing what had happened to him after he'd left. It was far more likely that she would attempt to contact him directly at the school than through any of his friends. Kate decided to swallow her concerns for the moment, but resolved to speak with Dumbledore about what she'd learned from her own mother if it appeared necessary.

Later that night, Sirius sat cross-legged on his bed, waiting for James to come out of their bathroom. When he finally appeared, James took in his friend's anxious demeanor and grinned. "If you had to go _that _badly, Padfoot, you _could _have transformed and gone behind the shed!"

Sirius gave him a rude gesture before speaking. "Listen, Jamie, I need to tell you something," and he proceeded to tell him about the morning at the dog park and how Padfoot had been called into service on Kate's behalf. "She knows nothing about you or Peter," he reassured his friend. "I promise. I didn't breathe a word."

James was seated next to Sirius and had been listening intently as the other wizard recounted his experience with the aggressive canine. When his friend spoke of maintaining his silence about the rest of the Marauders' Animagi status, James reached over and grasped Sirius' arm. "I believe you," he said simply.

Sirius smiled in relief. "Thanks, Jamie. I wouldn't …"

"I know," James caught Sirius' gaze and held it, lifting his eyebrows. "I _know_," he repeated.

Sirius nodded.

James smiled then stood and walked over to his own bed. "So, Padfoot faced off against – what? A Pekinese? No, wait – I know – what's one of those other, _manly _dogs … oh, I remember – a _Shitzu_?" He barely ducked his head before Sirius' rather large pillow went sailing past him. Laughing, James picked up his own pillow, turned and leapt on the now defenseless wizard and the ensuing - and rather noisy - round of wrestling ceased only when Mr. Potter rapped on the door and demanded quiet. The effect was somewhat ruined by the low chuckle the boys could hear as he walked back down the staircase to his own rooms below.

XXXXXXXX

The group spent the remainder of their holiday in much the same manner as those that went before: lazing on the beach and roaming about the tourist sections of town. While they hated to see the long, warm days come to an end; the thought that they were going to spend the next six weeks together at the castle provided some compensation.

Late on Wednesday afternoon, the quartet returned to the beach house to get ready for their evening at the dance club with David and the crowd they'd met the previous week. After a light dinner with the Potters, the group disappeared upstairs and Hal and Margaret were treated to an hour of trampling feet, bursts of laughter and snippets of conversation from the rooms above them. Finally, the four young people appeared: showered, groomed and dressed in lightweight, casual Muggle clothing.

"Have a wonderful time, darlings," Margaret called.

"Be safe," Hal added, looking at them over the top of _The Daily Prophet_.

The group waved and promised – with an eye-roll from James - to be back at a reasonable hour before heading out the door and into the warm summer evening. As they walked along the path, conversation turned to Hogwarts and their imminent return. Lily's parents were sad to think that she wouldn't be spending the last six weeks of her summer holiday at home, but completely understood her desire to be with her friends. As Lily pointed out, her parents were _not _clueless about Petunia's cruel behavior and were of the opinion that Lily had tolerated just about as much of her elder sister as she could for one summer. Having been exposed to the nasty Petunia, the other three laughed appreciatively.

James knew that Sirius was nervous about returning to Hogwarts knowing that Remus would be there shortly after they arrived. James had done his best to reassure his friend that he would not be alone as he'd been immediately prior to the end of term. That said, Sirius' nerves were only marginally quelled.

"He hasn't had enough time to come to terms with what I did, Jamie," Sirius said. "I just wish I knew how long it was going to take before I know if we'll ever be friends again."

Kate slipped her hand into the crook of Sirius' arm. "Unless you've developed some vast Divination skill you've kept secret from the rest of us, you can't know the answer until we get back and you have the chance to speak with Remus."

"I know. It's just bloody hard not knowing if I'll even be given the chance," Sirius replied sadly.

"Since there's no way you can predict what will happen when we're all together again, I suggest that we all focus on being _here – _right now – and enjoy the rest of our holiday in this lovely place," Lily said, smiling as James swung their clasped hands back and forth as they walked. "If everything goes pear-shaped back at Hogwarts, at least we'll know that we made the most of _this_ part of our holiday."

"Good thinking," James agreed, turning to Sirius with a smile. "C'mon, Pads; let's have some fun while we're here; next week will come around soon enough, yeah?"

"Yeah, Jamie," Sirius replied after a moment. "Let's go show 'em how it's done, eh?"

XXXXXXXX

When the foursome reached the club, the party was in full swing. The music was pounding and the dance floor was crowded. Along the far side of the club, thirsty dancers lined up at the bar, ordering a variety of beverages that ranged from water and juice to an assortment of Muggle soft drinks. As David had originally explained to them, this was a place to come and dance. Those who wanted a bit more in the way of refreshment could travel a little further up the street to one of the local pubs.

"Sirius!" a male voice called out from a large corner table on the opposite side of the room. "Over here!"

Sirius, James, Lily and Kate located the source of the summons and, waving at David and his friends, they made their way over to the four seats that had been saved for them.

"Glad you made it," the young man welcomed the group. "It's a great crowd tonight and the music is really hot..."

David had no soon finished speaking when the pulsing opening beats of "Turn the Beat Around" came blasting through the speakers. David smiled when another member of their group stood and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Dave," Mark shouted, pulling on the other boy and leading him to the dance floor. James paused for a second, then looked at Lily and wiggled his eyebrows up and down; she laughed and stood. As the pair began dancing, James felt a hip slam against his own and he turned to see Sirius gyrating madly opposite Kate. James caught Kate's attention and rolled his eyes, gesturing toward her partner. Kate laughed and shrugged, spinning and twisting in an effort to keep up with him.

As the evening wore on, the crowd spent more time on the dance floor than off but, when the DJ took breaks, they were forced to sit down and catch their collective breath. The wizards were introduced to fizzy drinks by their Muggle counterparts and Sirius, in particular, fell in love with them. Lily and Kate were aware of the physiological consequences of the carbonated beverage and knew that both boys would take great joy in exploiting them for their own amusement. It hadn't taken long. While, of course, they did not reveal their magical identities to their new friends, they carefully shaped their conversation to ensure sufficient information to be considered credible. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" became "a private boarding school in Scotland". As their friends were a bit older and attended university in London, they didn't ask for any further details. They were simply a group of young people who enjoyed laughing, dancing and having absolutely no responsibilities that prevented them from doing so. For the moment, that was enough.

The hours flew by and soon, the DJ announced that the evening had come to an end. James looked at his watch and saw that it was close to midnight. He leaned over and showed Sirius the time. "Think it's _'reasonable'_ enough?"

Sirius laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's wait a minute for things to thin out a bit."

As they gathered their things, Kate noticed that one of Lily's earrings had gone missing. If they were going to wait for the crowd to lessen anyway, the redhead reasoned that they could spend the time looking around to see if they could find it.

After ten minutes or so spent (as James said) crawling around on the floor, the missing earring had not been located and Lily sadly gave it up for lost. "My mum gave me those for my last birthday," she said, picking up her lightweight sweater and glancing around. There were fewer than a dozen people remaining and most of them the friends with whom they'd spent the evening.

"Don't give up quite yet, Lily," Kate said as they began to move toward the door. "It could be caught in your clothing or have fallen in your bag. We'll check tonight when we …"

Sirius' hand tightening on hers cut Kate's comment short. Just as she was about to ask what was happening and why he had stopped short of the door, she became aware that somehow, things had shifted. The laughter and happy chatter of just moments before had been reduced to an occasional murmur.

Kate stood on her toes to try to see over the heads of those in front of her, but she was unable to do so. Sirius half turned to her. "Stay here," he muttered then he and James used their shoulders to nudge their way to the doorway. Once there, Kate heard Sirius' gasp, followed by a voice she recognized all too well. Several of the group they'd been dancing with saw this as an opportunity to move quickly down the steps and away from the club, giving Kate a clear view of the scene before her. Lucius Malfoy stood over their friend, David, who was kneeling on the ground, his head held up by his long ponytail which was now clenched firmly in the fist of Vincent Crabbe. The tall, blonde wizard inclined his head toward the young man next to him. David's lip was bleeding and he looked at Sirius in some confusion.

"There you are, Black. I believe _this _belongs to you, does it not?"

"Call off your pet troll, Malfoy; this man's done nothing to either one of you," Sirius said, his voice low and determined.

"How _sweet_," Malfoy oozed. "Protecting your - _partner_, isn't that the term for relationships like yours? I wondered why you left home so abruptly and when there was no sensible explanation for it, I knew you _must _have finally pushed things too far. The other night, in town with the _Potters_, when I saw you with _this crowd_, the light came on."

"David isn't my _partner_, you imbecile, he's a friend – to all of us," Sirius gestured toward Kate and Lily, both standing behind him – and to James, who had stood beside Sirius throughout his conversation with the Slytherin.

Malfoy gave then a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "A _Mudblood_ – and a queer one at that; a _friend _to wizards? How _pathetic_." With blinding speed, Malfoy's foot left the ground and connected with David's ribs. The young man let out a sharp cry as bones cracked and pain flooded through him.

As Malfoy admired his handiwork, Sirius and James took full advantage of the distraction and came off the steps as one. Regrettably, Crabbe was _not _distracted and shouted a warning to his Slytherin friend.

"David, _move_," Sirius shouted and was relieved to see the young man roll – albeit painfully – away from the two Slytherin wizards. Unfortunately, looking away for that small moment cost him as Crabbe's fist connected painfully with Sirius' right cheekbone.

With a small groan, the young wizard half-spun and landed on his knees from the force of the blow. As he did so, he saw James uncork a rather well-aimed right hook on Malfoy's jaw and heard a satisfying _crunch_ as his fist made contact.

Kate and Lily pulled David clear of the fighting.

"W-who _are _those guys?" the young man asked, his breath halting due to the pain in his ribs.

"They're from our school," Lily explained. "They don't much care for us, I'm afraid."

"They're g-getting the shit kicked out of them," he continued. Kate and Lily looked over to where the four were still hard at it and saw that David was right.

"How did you get here tonight, David?" Lily asked.

"I drove," he whispered. "Keys – in my pocket. G-go."

Kate looked at Lily. "Do you know how to drive?" At the other girl's nod she continued, "Get Mr. Potter and bring him here. David, where is your car?"

"Around f-front. B-blue Ford."

"I'll be back," Lily said and hurried away. Moments later, Kate heard the roar of an engine. She turned her attention back to the scene before her. James and Sirius had struggled to their feet and the four wizards were circling each other warily; all worse for wear.

"Where's the rest of your little entourage, Malfoy?" Sirius staggered slightly, but his voice was strong. "I'm surprised you didn't bring them along to cheer you on. After all, blood lust runs rather _high_ in the Black family; I'm sure 'Cissy and dear Bella would have been delighted to come along."

"I wouldn't expose them to this sordid business," Malfoy bit out.

"'_Sordid business_'?" Sirius gaped at the blonde. "You'd better be talking about yourself when you say that; nothing and no one else here can be called 'sordid'."

Malfoy raised an elegant eyebrow and spared a brief glance toward David. "Indeed? Then I will suggest to you again that the rumors I've heard about you are true." His mistake was turning to Goyle with a gloating smirk on his face. Sirius took full advantage, much as the other wizard had done earlier – and pounced. His punch hit the side of Malfoy's jaw, spinning him around.

Once he'd regained his balance, the Slytherin spat on the ground; his lip was split, swollen and bleeding. "You're no better than the company you keep, Black," he ground out, glancing over at Kate and David. "I cannot believe I soiled my hands on the likes of _you_." He looked at James, standing next to Sirius and breathing heavily, clearly protecting his left side. "_Either_ of you," Malfoy added. He reached into his cloak and pulled out his wand. "But I shall soil them no further." Malfoy took a deep breath, pointing his wand directly at Sirius, eyes glittering with malice.

"I wouldn't," came a deep voice from the corner of the club and Malfoy jerked his head in its direction.

Hal Potter walked over to where the four wizards were standing, his own wand drawn and held loosely at his side. "I'll take that, if you please." Hal gestured toward Malfoy's wand.

The younger wizard's gaze was incredulous. "I have no intention of giving you …"

"Save it," Hal said quietly. "You will give me your wand – _now _– or I will cast a binding charm and take it from you forcibly. I am not here as James' father at the moment, you see; I am here in my more official – _Ministry_ – capacity." As Malfoy continued to gape at him, Hal reached over and removed his wand from his hand. "Thank you," he said crisply, before glancing over at Crabbe and extending his hand. "I'll have yours, as well."

Realizing that he hadn't any choice, the large boy grudgingly surrendered his wand to the older man.

"Now then, I'm going to put you both in my car – just over there. I'm going to cast a spell to bind you to the vehicle until I come for you. We're going to deal with that boy's injuries before I bring you back to the LeStrange home. That _is _where you're staying, I assume?" Hal asked.

Malfoy nodded once, sharply.

"And your parents are also staying there?"

"_Yes_."

"Excellent. There will be no need to travel to London, then. Come with me."

Hal gestured for the two Slytherin wizards to go ahead of him and the three walked back in the direction from which Hal had come.

James and Sirius went over to where Lily and Kate were sitting with David.

"Are you alright?" James asked the young man, who just stared at James. "I'm so sorry about all of this, mate."

"What _are _you people?" he asked, but his demeanor spoke more of curiosity than fear.

The four exchanged anxious looks. There were rules about the disclosure of their world but given what had happened this evening, perhaps those rules weren't so very important at the moment.

Sirius lowered himself slowly to the steps and sat down gingerly. "Look, David, if we answer your question – and whether or not you believe me – you must promise that you won't tell anyone else." He spoke thickly, his lip swollen and bleeding from a well-landed punch from Crabbe.

David nodded.

"Sirius," Lily warned. "We mustn't…"

Sirius shook his head. "Maybe half the problem between our world and his is the fact that no one talks about our existence."

David looked at each of them in turn. "Your _world_?'

"We're wizards," Sirius said quietly. "Well, James and I are; Lily and Kate are witches."

"Pull the other one," David managed, his eyes growing even wider.

"No, it's true; we swear it," James answered. "We wouldn't lie to you."

"And the two who ambushed us – they're _wizards_, as well?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Hal's voice startled them all as they had been so intent on their conversation with David that they had failed to hear him approach.

"Dad, we…," James began, but his father put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's fine, son."

David looked at the older man. "You're one, too?"

Hal smiled. "Yes – and I'm James' father. I'm willing to bet that one of these young people has told you how important it is that you not repeat to others what you've learned. Someday, perhaps, things will be different and we can be more open; for now, however, it's better for all concerned that we keep things separate – and quiet. Do you understand?"

David nodded. "I know a bit about having to keep things quiet, myself." The young man glanced briefly at the four young people before returning his attention to Hal. "I should be going. I need to have someone look at my ribs; I think they're broken."

Hal knelt down beside David and withdrew his own wand. David eyed the smooth wood then looked at the older man. "You've got one, too, then? What are you going to do with it?"

Hal smiled. "Well, I could spare you the trip to hospital and heal you with it, if you're agreeable and trust me enough to permit it. I promise you, I know what I'm doing and it will be much quicker – and far less painful than traveling in a vehicle with those ribs."

David thought for a moment then nodded. "Go ahead," he said quietly, closing his eyes.

Hal brought the tip of his wand to a point just beneath the young man's armpit and gently trailed it down his side, over his injured ribs. As he did so, he quietly muttered words David couldn't quite discern, but the effect was instantaneous; with an odd rippling f++feeling and two or three _snaps_, bones knit themselves together and the pain disappeared.

When he was finished with David's ribs, Hal healed the cuts and bruises on the boy's face as well. There was soon no sign that the boy had ever been involved in any kind of physical altercation.

"Whoa," the young man breathed as he ran his hand over his side. "You're for _real_, aren't you?"

James smiled, wincing when the action reopened a cut on his lip. "Yes, we're for real."

David rose, gesturing toward the two younger wizards and speaking to Hal again. "You'd best do something similar to these two; they look like they could use it."

Hal motioned to the two boys and several minutes later, he had them sorted as well. When he'd finished, he turned to find David watching with the same look of astonishment he'd worn when Hal had tended to him. "Brilliant," he said. "Listen, those two won't … they don't know who …"

Hal shook his head, understanding what the young man was asking him. "They have no idea of your identity; they won't be coming anywhere near you. You've nothing to worry about."

David looked visibly relieved and extended his hand to Hal. "Thanks, Mr. Potter. I appreciate your help."

Hal shook his hand and smiled warmly. "I'm glad you suffered nothing I couldn't easily heal." Hal looked over to the four other young people standing off to the side. "It's late and I'm afraid your mother is already worried about the four of you; I think it's time we headed home."

David looked over at Lily. "Where did you park my car?"

Lily stepped forward and handed him his key ring. "Are you certain you're alright?" she asked.

David smiled and nodded. "Yes, _Mum_."

Instead of a stern retort, Lily smiled and gave him a warm hug. "Thanks for teaching us how to dance – and for being so accepting of who we are."

David returned the hug and gave the girl a wry smile. "Oh, I think the acceptance bit went both ways, don't you? And I'm grateful; thank you all." David looked beyond Lily to where the other three were standing. As he passed them on the way to his car, Kate also hugged the young man and Sirius and James each shook his hand in turn.

"I hope we run into each other again," David said, sincerely. "You're nice people; I don't care what else you are. And you needn't worry; I won't tell a soul about tonight."

"We know you won't," Sirius responded. "David, I'm very sorry you went through what you did tonight. In our world, not everyone is decent and fair."

David nodded, smiling ruefully. "Same thing in _my_ world." He paused for a moment, looking around at them. "Thanks, again. I'd better head out."

"Maybe we'll see you around here next summer, eh, mate?" James called out.

David turned with a grin, walking backward toward his car. "It's a date."

XXXXXXXX

"Well, it's about _time_," Margaret met them at the door, her demeanor at once irritated and relieved. "I've been sitting here worrying about you all since the two of you lit out of the house." She nodded in the direction of Lily and Hal. "What on _earth_ happened?"

Hal embraced his wife. "Why don't we let the kids get some sleep and I'll tell you all about it over a nice cup of tea?"

James, Lily, Sirius and Kate were glad for the reprieve. They'd lived through the evening once already and had no desire to do so again. They each bade the Potters goodnight and wearily climbed the staircase to their respective bedrooms.

"Are you alright?" Kate whispered as she and Sirius drew up to his bedroom door.

Sirius peered down at her in the dim light of the hallway and he smiled softly. "Yeah; sure. Are _you_?"

"I didn't like seeing you hurt, although I'll admit seeing you inflict a bit of pain on Malfoy wasn't too difficult to take," she replied. "Still…"

Sirius pulled her into a gentle embrace, resting his cheek against the top of her head. The sound of a throat clearing caused Sirius to look over in James' direction, eyebrows raised. James and Lily stood, hands clasped, smiling softly. _Ah. Don't worry, Jamie; I get it._ He inclined his head toward their door and smiled in return.

'_Give me a minute_,' he mouthed and, obligingly, James and Lily moved a bit further down the corridor.

"Kate," Sirius said softly. "I think James and Lily would like a bit of privacy tonight. Would you let me stay with you? Just to sleep, I promise."

Kate lifted her head from his shoulder and smiled. "Yes, please. After tonight, the idea of sleeping with you next to me is particularly appealing."

"I'll just grab my toothbrush and I'll be along, ok?" He cleared his throat to get James' attention, then leaned down and kissed Kate's cheek gently. "I won't be long."

It wasn't long before Sirius had grabbed his toothbrush and pillow and was on his way down to the girls' room. He knocked on the door lightly, glancing at the staircase to make sure James' parents didn't decide to come up to discuss the evening's events before retiring for the night. He needn't have worried; the house was silent.

"Come in."

Sirius turned the doorknob and walked into the room. In the moonlight flowing in through the window, he could see Kate, already in bed, propped up on several large pillows. Sirius smiled and closed the door behind him. "Hi," he said, suddenly feeling shy.

"Hi," Kate replied, nodding toward a door to his right. "The bathroom's in there if you'd like to change."

Sirius nodded and disappeared into the bathroom, emerging a short time later – bare chested but wearing sleep pants. Tossing his clothing and toothbrush on a chair, he made his way over to Kate's bed. "Are you sure?" he whispered. "I can sleep over in Lily's bed, if you're not comfortable."

Kate lifted the top sheet from the other side of her bed. "I'm comfortable," she whispered. "Now, are you just going to stand there smiling or are you coming to bed?"

Sirius laughed quietly. "I'm coming to bed."

Moments later, he was lying next to her. Kate turned onto her side, facing him. "Are you tired?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I am; you?" At her nod, he reached over and pulled her gently to him. Kate lay with her head on his chest, content to be held tightly in his arms. She kissed the smooth skin of his chest. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you, too," Sirius' whispered back, his hand absently stroking her back. Despite his weariness, his mind raced. Hogwarts – and Remus – loomed large before him; Malfoy's actions earlier in the evening echoed in his head as well. He knew the incident would be duly reported back at Grimmauld Place and despite the knowledge that it really couldn't hurt him anymore; he couldn't help but feel apprehensive. His mother had already expressed a desire to meet with him; he sincerely doubted that this episode would dampen her desire to do so. He would be safe at school and his friends would be with him; there wasn't much more that he could ask. Sirius glanced down at the auburn head lying on his chest. Kate's breathing had evened out and settled into a distinct, easy rhythm. She was asleep. Sirius' gaze rested on the square of bright moonlight on the hardwood floor. Sirius glanced out the window where the full moon hung high in the sky. _Remus_. While Sirius was beyond grateful to have things resolved with James, it was Remus he had hurt by his actions and Remus whose friendship was still denied to him. In three days' time, the foursome would be reunited with the young werewolf. Could they resolve things before the new term started? Would their estrangement inform the new school year as it had ended the old? Sirius hoped it would not, but as he felt sleep pulling him under he knew that he would do everything in his power to make things right. Remus was his brother in all but name. Sirius had lost enough family over the past several weeks; he was determined that he would lose no more.

With that thought, Sirius closed his eyes and finally slept.


	51. A Sad and Unchanged Reality

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 51 – A Sad and Unchanged Reality

The last three days in Brighton were spent in a fair mixture of relaxation and preparation for the return to Hogwarts. Technically, the foursome would continue their summer holiday at the castle and would be free to come and go as they pleased. The consensus amongst the four friends was, however, that it would feel very odd to be back at the school with no curriculum, no established schedule and, basically, no other students.

It was the word, "basically" that resonated with Sirius and created that small kernel of apprehension that lodged in his stomach. Kate, James and Lily all noticed that as Sunday approached, the dark-haired wizard became increasingly quiet and kept more and more to himself.

As soon as the sun started to rise on Sunday morning, Sirius was up, dressed in track shorts and trainers and headed out to the bicycle path for his morning run. On this morning, Sirius did not awaken James to join him; with Hogwarts – and Remus – foremost in his mind, the young wizard wanted some time to himself. For well over ninety minutes, Sirius ran – the first forty-five without thought, the sheer physical exhilaration of movement filling his senses. When he reached his habitual turn-back point, he felt sufficiently calm and centered and, as he turned, Sirius mentally flipped the "on switch" and his thoughts began to flow once again. He'd spent so much time going over and over the Prank and its aftermath that he wasn't bringing anything new to light there. Sirius completely understood Remus' reaction and had come to the realization that Remus didn't particularly care why Sirius had betrayed him; he'd done it and, simply put, the very fact of it was all that mattered. Sirius wanted desperately to begin to earn back Remus' trust, but was at a loss when it came to planning how to accomplish the task. Sirius was not someone who liked the unknown and Remus' reaction when he first saw Sirius back at the castle definitely qualified. If he didn't know what he faced he could hardly develop any kind of plan and that made the young wizard feel very vulnerable, indeed.

Sirius continued to play the possibilities over in his mind, oblivious to everything around him, when he suddenly realized he was drawing closer to the Potters' house. The sun had fully risen and the day promised to be another hot one. Veering left, Sirius paused just long enough to remove his trainers and socks then ran straight into the ocean, diving beneath the surface briefly to rinse the sweat from his skin. The chill of the water – even in July – sent pins and needles racing over his skin and Sirius soon made for shore, wringing the sticky saltwater from his hair and running shorts. As he approached the house, trainers in hand, Sirius looked up to see Kate sitting on the deck watching his approach.

He waved and smiled and was soon climbing the steps that led to the deck.

"Good morning," Kate said quietly, handing him a towel.

"Good morning, yourself," he replied, kissing her lips softly. "Thanks for this," he added, blotting the excess moisture from his hair. Once finished, he folded it and placed it on the seat of the chair next to Kate's and made himself comfortable.

"Thirsty?" Kate handed him an ice-cold glass of orange juice, which he accepted gratefully.

"What has you out of bed so early?" Sirius wondered, placing the now empty glass back on the table.

"I heard you leave," Kate replied. "_You_, as in – one set of footsteps. I figured that if you didn't bring James along, you must have wanted to use the run to ponder. It's Remus, of course."

Sirius nodded. "Who else?" He looked out over the water for a while before speaking again. "So much has happened since the Prank, Katie, but Remus knows nothing of it. I have no idea how he'll react when he sees me again – no idea if he'll give me the chance to speak to him, to tell him about it all. We're ok – you and me. Jamie and I have worked it out now, too. I totally understand why Remus feels as he does, but …"

"…but at the same time, you want your friend back; you want him to trust you again," Kate finished.

Sirius nodded. "Maybe I'm expecting too much from him too soon."

Kate nodded. "That's entirely possible. There's a part of me, though, that _has _to believe that Remus is just as sick of this whole business as you are. He loves you, Sirius; you're his brother as surely as he's yours. You're going to have to be patient with him and let him call the shots with this."

"I know, Katie-girl; truly I do. I just wish I knew what I could do to prove myself to him; to prove that I've changed." Sirius grimaced. "If I were in his shoes, I don't know that _I'd_ give me another chance."

"Well, then, it's probably fortunate that you're _not_ in his shoes. You said that Remus doesn't know all that's happened with you since term ended. You're in the same boat, you know. You don't know what conclusions _he_ might have come to since you last saw _him_," Kate reasoned. "Perhaps the space has allowed him to think everything through, as well. Perhaps you're going to find that Remus is ready to work toward more than a truce – perhaps he'll be ready to work toward really repairing your friendship when he returns to Hogwarts."

"Maybe," Sirius acknowledged. "But I don't quite dare hope for that. It's more likely that he's still resentful and has decided that he really can't ever trust me again." He looked over at Kate. "And that's going to be bloody awful, Kate."

"My mum always says that we shouldn't borrow trouble – that it will come and sit down next to us soon enough. I would suggest that you adopt that philosophy until you actually have the chance to speak with Remus. No good will come from "what if", you know," she said quietly.

Sirius reached over and covered her hand where it lay on the table. "I know, Kate. It's just hard not to know what I'm facing. I can't plan."

"Maybe you're not supposed to plan. Don't take this the wrong way, but 'planning' has never really been your strong suit, has it? The whole Ofelia thing, _me_; I think we can agree that sometimes planning is what trips you up," Kate smiled, flipping her hand to entwine their fingers.

Sirius smiled back. "Ok, but given the fact that I've been just as stupid thinking on my feet, it really doesn't seem like there's much hope for me either way, does it?"

"I think your best course of action is to let Remus set the tone and work it out from there," Kate replied, looking up as she heard the deck's door slide open.

"This looks like a very somber conversation for such an early hour," James remarked as he dropped his lanky frame into a chair next to Sirius. "Let me guess; we're talking about one Remus John Lupin, am I right?"

"It's not hard to guess, is it Prongs?" Sirius shook his head.

"Look, Black, I date Lily Evans; how often do you think I actually hear the words, "you're right"? Exactly; _never_. Therefore, as my best mate and surrogate brother, I think it's the least you can do to help me live the dream and just say it," James retorted. "Go on, then. Let's hear it."

"Fine. You're right, Jamie. Totally. Absolutely. Mind-bogglingly right. How's that?"

"Has the world come to an end?" Lily Evan's voice preceded her onto the deck. She appeared a split second later, dropping a kiss to the top of James' unruly head before sitting down next to Kate. "Is James Potter finally right about something?"

"You see what I have to put up with, Pads?" James inclined his head in the redhead's direction.

"You love it," Lily replied. "So, are we discussing Remus?"

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Lils, we _were_ discussing Remus, but it's over now," Kate answered, squeezing Sirius' fingers gently. "Shall we think about breakfast before we have to head to London to catch the Express?" Dumbledore had agreed to make the Hogwarts Express available to the foursome for their return to the school. It was an excellent security precaution for Sirius as the headmaster wasn't certain that Walburga might not have somehow heard of the date of her son's planned return to the school. While improbable, the idea wasn't impossible and Dumbledore wanted to take every precaution to protect the young man from his mother's wrath.

"Are you offering to cook?" James asked Kate, a huge grin splitting his face. She'd pulled together some very good omelets earlier in the week, stuffed with bacon and oozing melted cheese. The boys had been ready to fall at her feet in worship of her culinary skills.

"If you make the toast and Lily makes the coffee, I'll make more omelets," Kate agreed, rising. She glanced over at Sirius. "You need to shower before you do anything," she wrinkled her nose. "You pong of seaweed and saltwater."

James burst into laughter while Sirius managed an affronted look while he rose and picked up his trainers from the floor. "Very nice, Kate." As he drew level with James, he snorted. "I don't know why you're so amused," he said. "You're stuck with kitchen duty. All I have to do is shower and then show up to eat. Better end of the bargain, I say!"

"James, you should go and see if your parents would like to join us. They've done so much for us over the past couple of weeks, it's little enough to do to serve up breakfast for _them_," Lily called over her shoulder as she and Kate walked into the house.

"Can't imagine who she'd yell at if I wasn't around," James muttered, walking into the house with Sirius.

Sirius smiled. "Face it, Prongs, old boy – you're whipped! And, the sad thing is, I do believe you're happier for it."

James shook his head, but his smile belied the gesture. "Shut up, Padfoot."

XXXXXXXX

In the end, it was saying goodbye to the Potters on Platform 9 ¾ that was Sirius' undoing. Many emotions lay dormant within him – those tied to his forced exit from Grimmauld Place as well as those associated with the Prank and its aftermath. The Potters had been kind to him – more than kind, actually. They had not judged him for anything; Margaret, in particular, had simply shown him what he'd most longed for – a mother's love. And now, her surrogate son was struggling against a long overdue and very normal reaction to leaving a truly loving mother figure behind. True to form, Margaret recognized the symptoms and put her arm around his shoulders to lead him a distance away from the rest of the young people. With Hal's amused voice in the background, regaling the other three with one story or another, Margaret looked Sirius directly in the eye for a moment before pulling him into a hug.

"It's ok, darling," she said quietly. "Just let it go."

For the next several minutes, Sirius wept quietly against her shoulder while Margaret made soothing noises and rubbed his back. "It's alright; everything will be alright. I know you've been through so much these past few months. You never have to see your mother again, you know. You never have to go back there and she _cannot _get to you while Dumbledore's around. Actually, I'd like to see her try to get to you while _I'm _around. I _do _cast a rather impressive hex or two, you know." She heard Sirius give a rather hiccupping chuckle through his tears and squeezed him tighter for a second before releasing him and handing the boy a conjured handkerchief. He dutifully mopped his face and blew his nose before leaning in and kissing her cheek.

"Thank you," he said his voice a bit rough around the edges. "You've done more for me than you know; '_thank you_' doesn't come close to being enough."

Margaret smiled. "It'll do just fine. Hal and I meant it when we said that you are like a son to us. We both love you very much and you are welcome to come home with James at anytime – whether we're at home in London or still in Brighton. It doesn't matter. It's your home as well. Are we clear on that?"

Sirius didn't quite trust his voice so he settled for nodding.

"And don't worry about Remus. It may take some time and it might be a rather long road to travel, but he _will_ come around and things will be all right again," she continued, rubbing his shoulder.

"I hope you're right," Sirius replied. "I've betrayed his trust and he won't forgive that easily."

"Perhaps not; but you have also done great things for him. You accepted him and loved him for who he _is _as a person, not _in spite of _a curse he didn't deserve and cannot be held responsible for," Margaret reasoned. "Just give it some time, darling. The positive things you've done will come back to him and, in the end, I know they will outweigh what happened at school. You must be patient, Sirius."

He nodded once again. "I will."

"Padfoot, it's time to go," James' voice called over to them.

Margaret and Sirius walked toward the gleaming scarlet engine, standing majestic on the rails, smoke billowing from its stack. With a final round of hugs and handshakes, the four students dragged their trunks forward and boarded. They stopped in the first car, waving to James' parents as the train slowly chugged forward and remained, leaning out of the windows, until Margaret and Hal could no longer be seen.

"Let's move further back," James said after the train had picked up speed. The roar of the engine made conversation difficult, something Sirius might not have minded except for the fact that the noise level made his ears ring, as well. The four left their trunks in the first car for ease in disembarking when they reached Hogsmeade Station.

Finally situated in a compartment several cars back, the four friends settled in for the long ride. Kate sat next to the window on one of the seats and smiled when Sirius stretched out on the same seat, his head resting comfortably in her lap.

"Do you mind?" he asked, smiling up at her. His eyes were still a bit puffy from his conversation with Margaret Potter and Kate stroked his cheek gently.

"Never."

Sirius' smile broadened and he caught her hand and placed a soft kiss in the palm before lacing their fingers together and resting their entwined hands on his stomach. "I might doze off for awhile."

"I'll poke you if you snore," she replied, laughing when he crossed his eyes and put his tongue out at her.

Whether it was the power of suggestion or the fact that he had not slept very well the previous night, Sirius was asleep almost instantly – and remained asleep until roughly thirty minutes before the train pulled into Hogsmeade.

"Where are we?" Sirius asked groggily, struggling to sit up. Once he'd managed it, he scrubbed his hands over his face and looked over at the window. "It's dark…"

"You've been out almost since we left London," James replied. "We're about thirty minutes out now."

Sirius leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes again. He wasn't sleepy any longer, but he wasn't quite awake, either. Eventually, he stood. "I'm going to the loo."

"He was out like a light," Kate observed after Sirius had left the compartment.

"He hasn't been sleeping very well since that little scene with Malfoy the other night," James said quietly.

"Do you think he's worried about his mother trying to reach him?" Lily asked.

James shook his head. "I don't think Walburga Black has the power to threaten him anymore. I think he's worried about Regulus – and what will happen with him now that Sirius isn't around. Wednesday night's _event_ is certain to be reported back in London and Sirius is bound to be concerned about how Regulus will interpret whatever it is that he hears."

"And, of course, Remus is on his mind," Kate said, glancing over at the compartment door. "He's so sure that things will not go well when they finally do meet."

"I haven't said anything to Sirius, but he's right to worry," James said. "Remus is a stubborn wizard and he wasn't budging an inch before term ended."

"Do you really think he won't forgive Sirius for what happened?" Kate asked.

"He doesn't seem inclined to do so. James is right, Kate. You saw him; he was implacable," Lily said.

"But they've been so close," Kate protested. "And Remus is a fair person. He wouldn't just walk away from someone who's meant as much to him as Sirius has."

"You have to understand him, Kate," James said earnestly. "Remus' condition has ruled his life since he was a small boy. Friends they've known since their own school days have dropped Mr. and Mrs. Lupin because of what Remus is. He's known mistrust and cruelty for a very long time, but it's mostly come from strangers or short-time acquaintances. Remus doesn't trust easily at all. He took a chance on us; he trusted _us_. And Sirius betrayed _all_ of that."

Kate nodded miserably, but was spared responding when footsteps were heard outside the door. The threesome quickly resumed their more relaxed positions; when Sirius re-entered the compartment, they were largely as they were when he'd left.

"Feeling better, Pads?" James asked, looking up from his copy of _Quidditch Monthly_.

"'m awake at any rate," Sirius said, dropping down into the seat next to Kate.

"You won't sleep a wink tonight," Lily predicted, flipping through Witch Weekly.

"Speaking of that, are you going to move back into the dormitory, Pads?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head. "I hadn't thought," he replied. "I'm used to the new place…"

"Room of Requirement, wasn't it?" James asked shrewdly.

A small hesitation then Sirius nodded. "Yeah. I wonder if Dumbledore would let me stay there for the rest of the holiday."

"I've an idea," James leaned toward his friend. "Why don't you just move back into the dorm for now? Remus won't be back for a few days so there's no reason why you have to stay there by yourself. If you're not comfortable once he arrives, you can ask Dumbledore for another room."

Sirius thought about it for a bit. "That's not a bad idea. I wouldn't have to move into the Room of Requirement, after all. I _could _just ask him for another room in our wing. I mean, he knows what's going on, so he wouldn't be all that surprised, would he?"

"I don't think _anything _surprises Dumbledore," Lily put in.

"We're pulling into the station," Kate observed, peering out the window and down the track where the old-fashioned lights of Hogsmeade Station were coming into view.

"And there's Hagrid! I didn't realize they'd be sending him to fetch us."

"He'd do some damage to your Mum if she was lurking about," James snickered and Sirius had to smile at the mental image his comment provoked.

The foursome made their way to the first compartment and collected their belongings. Banging down the steps first, Lily was greeted by the imposing figure of the Hogwarts groundskeeper, who reached for her trunk and hoisted it into the first of two carriages as if it weighed nothing at all. After greeting the other three students and disposing of their trunks in a similar manner, Hagrid led them to the second carriage.

"In with yeh," he said with a huge smile, gesturing toward the benches on either side of the carriage. "C'mon, now; step lively. They're all waitin' fer yeh in the Great Hall fer dinner!"

"All?" Sirius asked as the carriages lurched forward on the path.

"Well, the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall, o'course. An' _me_," Hagrid smiled broadly, the white of his teeth just visible amid the tangle of his beard. "Not much of a crowd yet; the rest of the professors are on holiday, too, yeh know. It'll be just you four for the next few days – 'til yer friend Remus gets 'ere."

Kate felt Sirius tense next to her and she slid closer to him in response. "I'm sure we'll find plenty to keep ourselves busy," she smiled at Hagrid.

"Oh, sure and yeh will," he replied. "An' yer always welcome ter my place fer tea and rock cakes, yeh know."

The four students nodded weakly, remembering previous "tea and rock cake" events at Hagrid's hut. Each of them had memories of smuggling the inedible cakes out in the deep pockets of their robes – taking a detour to the lake for disposal purposes before heading back to the castle.

"An' we're 'ere," Hagrid announced as the carriages came to a stop in front of the front entrance of the school. "Don' worry about yer things; I'll get the house elves ter bring 'em up ter yer rooms. Go on with yeh and have yer dinner."

The four friends alighted from the carriages and with a final wave to Hagrid, hurried inside and made their way to the Great Hall. Unlike during term, there was no Head Table nor were the traditional House tables present. Instead, there was a large, oval table near the front of the cavernous room, around which sat Dumbledore and McGonagall. Five empty chairs awaited and the group hurried forward to claim theirs.

"Good evening, good evening," Dumbledore greeted the students. "Delighted to see you all again. I trust you are all quite well?" his gaze roamed over Sirius and James – both of whom were convinced that their Headmaster knew every detail of their holiday thus far – including the incident with Malfoy and Crabbe.

"Yes, thank you, Professor," Sirius replied. "How are you both?"

"Quite well, Mr. Black, thank you," Professor McGonagall replied, smiling at the group. "I daresay our holidays will become a bit more … _interesting_ with you all here."

"Ah, here's Hagrid," Dumbledore's gaze had shifted as he watched the half-giant make his way toward them. "Thank you for collecting our four friends here, Hagrid. Now that you're here, we can sit back and enjoy a lovely dinner!" With that, the Headmaster clapped his hands twice and the platters on the table before them filled.

The seven of them ate their meals in silence but when pudding and tea appeared, Dumbledore took up the conversation again.

"I had an owl from Remus' mother," he said, adding several lumps of sugar to his teacup. "Remus will arrive on Thursday morning. He will Floo to Hogsmeade from London and then make the trip up to the school. I thought perhaps you all would like to wander down to the village and meet him."

"Sure," James said, darting a glance toward Sirius as he answered. "That would be fine."

Dumbledore watched the group carefully for a moment before speaking again. "In my long lifetime, I have found that time can frequently soften our perceptions of events as they originally unfolded. It can also give us the opportunity to consider a bigger picture, if you will. It's a good thought to hang onto when things feel a bit uncertain."

"Sirius, I trust you asked Hagrid to bring your trunk to the Gryffindor 6th year dormitory?" McGonagall asked.

Sirius met her eye and nodded. "Yes. I may need to speak with the Headmaster about that after … well, later on. I thought I'd wait to see how things worked out."

McGonagall's brows drew together and she opened her mouth to speak. Dumbledore, however, jumped into the void ahead of her. "Sounds like a very sensible plan to me, my boy. Now, I'm sure you young people have better things to do than to sit around the dinner table with a bunch of old folks – as young at heart as we may be!"

Ignoring McGonagall's indignant snort, followed by a barely audible, "Albus, _really_!", the four friends rose from the table and walked quickly to the doors.

"Where to now?" James asked.

Kate shivered. Even in July, the corridors and rooms of the castle retained their chill. "Where else?" she asked her friends as they made their way to the staircase. "The Gryffindor common room and that lovely, lovely fireplace!"

XXXXXXXX

Late that night, after they had all retired, Sirius sat in the window seat in the dorm room, looking out over the grounds. The Whomping Willow was in clear view and he couldn't help but remember that night – and the events that had so changed his life.

"What are you doing over there, Pads?" James' sleep-roughened voice called over to him. "It's after 3, you git!"

"Go back to sleep, Jamie," Sirius replied. "I'm just thinking."

"There's no future in deep thought at this time of night," James returned, fumbling on his nightstand for his glasses and sliding them on. "Can't you sleep? Really?"

Sirius shook his head, peering toward the direction of his friend's voice. "Nope. Guess Lils was right. Did all my sleeping on the train."

James sat up. "I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear you give her credit, but I think there's probably more to it than that, yeah?"

Sirius sighed, but otherwise remained silent.

"Look, Sirius; there's absolutely _no point_ to worrying about Remus at the moment. We've been all over this. Thursday will be here soon enough, you know."

"James, I know all of that. I just can't turn my mind off. I try – I really _do_; I go along just fine for awhile and then someone brings up Remus' name and I'm back to turning the whole thing over in my head again. Believe me; I'd like to make it stop."

"Do you want to play Wizard's Chess?" James asked, starting to throw the bedcovers back.

"No, Jamie; really, I'm fine. Go back to sleep," Sirius said, rising. I'm going to go downstairs and sit by the fire for a while. That usually relaxes me."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll see you later." Sirius pulled a t-shirt over his head, tugging it down over the waistband of his sweatpants then reached down into his trunk to retrieve something before slipping out of the room.

James looked at the closed door for another minute before setting his glasses back on the nightstand and replacing the covers. Burrowing down into his pillow, he was asleep moments later.

When James next opened his eyes, the sun was streaming into the window where Sirius had sat the night before. He glanced over toward the other boy's bed and saw that it was empty. James rose with a sigh, pulled on his robe and headed downstairs. As expected, he found Sirius, sound asleep on the sofa, a book of some sort face down on his chest. Curious, James quietly approached the sleeping wizard and gingerly slid the book from Sirius' slack fingers. He turned it over and felt his throat constrict when he saw what the "book" contained.

Pasted into the page of the Muggle photograph album was a magical photograph – slightly worse for wear – that showed the Marauders, arms looped around each other's shoulders. James remembered that it had been taken shortly before the Prank, back when their friendships were whole. Sirius stood between James and Remus, with Peter on Remus' other side. Sirius and Remus were elbowing each other and laughing, every now and then pausing to wave and make faces at the camera. It was obvious that Sirius handled this photo often, judging by its condition. He had obviously pasted it into the book to try to avoid any further creases or folds. James turned the page carefully and found another photo; one Kate had taken of the four of them lounging about the common room. Equally creased, this, too, had been carefully smoothed and pasted in place. Carefully, James returned the album to its place on Sirius' chest. The sleeping boy never moved.

James stood and watched his best friend for a few moments, feeling as heartsick as he ever had since the Prank had occurred. It was clear to him that Sirius sincerely regretted his actions and had, indeed, come to the realization of what those actions had cost him. For the first time, James realized that while he could clearly see both sides of this difficult issue, he now sided with Sirius – not in thinking that he'd been right in what he did, far from it. James felt his friend had suffered long enough and deserved the chance to put things right with Remus.

As he walked back up the stairs to the dormitory to shower, James resolved to do whatever he could to make sure Sirius got that chance.

XXXXXXXX

Long afternoons by the lake alternating with walks along the grounds caused the days to slip by virtually unnoticed. Thursday morning dawned almost before the group knew it.

Sirius managed no more than a few bites of a piece of toast and half a cup of coffee at breakfast, his nerves having long got the better of him. Later, as they walked down the path toward school gates, Sirius found himself becoming more nervous with each step. Kate and Lily were a short distance ahead, chatting as they walked while James fell into step beside his friend.

"It's ok, Pads," James said quietly. "You're not facing this alone any longer. We're with you, now."

Sirius nodded. "Thanks, Jamie. I know that. But, in the end, this one belongs to me. I made the problem and I'm the only one who can fix it."

"Still," James said, kicking a stone along the path and watching it bounce into a tall tuft of grass. He looked over at Sirius who was watching the path beneath his feet as they walked. "Still," he said again.

Sirius smiled then. "Right. Come on. The last thing I want to do is make him wait. Not a good way to start making amends, that."

The group increased their pace and soon found themselves in front of The Three Broomsticks with five minutes to spare before Remus was scheduled to arrive via Floo. The entered the pub and took a few minutes to adjust their eyes to the decidedly dim surroundings. As they were making their way toward a booth near the huge fireplace, a _whooshing_ sound was heard and the emerald green flames of the Floo network illuminated the room. There was the scrape of a boot against the flagstone floor and the heavy _thump _of a trunk. Sirius instinctively stepped back, standing slightly behind and to the right of James. _Where's that Gryffindor courage _now? The small voice that had annoyed Sirius no end in the past had apparently decided to return.

"Sorry to hear about your aunt," Lily stepped toward the young werewolf and hugged him tightly.

Remus smiled. "She's my mum's aunt, actually; I don't know her very well at all. But, thanks all the same."

"Hi, Remus," Kate greeted him, embracing him as Lily had done and kissing his cheek. "Good summer otherwise?"

He nodded, peering over her shoulder as James came up to say hello. "If it's all the same to you, mate, I'll just shake your hand and skip the kissing part."

Remus chuckled lightly. "I appreciate that, James."

Once James stepped back to join the girls, Sirius was more than visible to the new arrival – and it was apparent that his presence had not been anticipated. Remus' eyebrows rose appreciably and he glanced briefly at the other three before looking back in Sirius' direction.

_Ah, there's that courage_. Sirius stepped forward and hesitantly began to extend his hand toward Remus. "Good to see you, Remus," he said quietly.

Remus looked at his hand, then at Sirius' face. He nodded and murmured, "Sirius," but made no move to clasp the hand that was extended toward him. Instead, he turned to James. "Ready?"

Sirius withdrew his hand and stuffed it in his jeans pocket. Remus pointed his wand at his trunk, shrinking it down to the size of a matchbox before picking it up and placing it securely in his robes' pocket.

The group moved toward the door, Kate hooking her arm through Sirius' and, with him, falling in behind the others.

Sirius matched Kate's pace and kept his eyes firmly fixed on the dusty path. _It was going to be a long six weeks_.


	52. Life on the Fringes of Friendship

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Language

Chapter 52 – Life on the Fringes of Friendship

Remus' initial reaction to Sirius at The Three Broomsticks seemed to set the tone for them once he'd settled back into the dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. While the young werewolf never cut Sirius openly, it was apparent that his attitude was one of resigned tolerance. Remus kept his distance from Sirius whenever possible, and was chilly – but polite – when contact could not be avoided. With no previous ability to plan a response to the situation, Sirius strove to accommodate Remus' attitude toward him and did not initiate any contact or conversation. When they were all gathered together, Sirius put himself as far away from his former friend as he could manage and still remain with the group. He used the time to analyze how he might be able to either resolve the problems between them – or achieve closure – before the rest of the students arrived for the new term.

The fissure that had existed between Sirius and Remus before the holiday had grown to a yawning chasm. The last thing either wanted, however, was to make the situation difficult for their friends. Unfortunately, this was unavoidable. By the end of their first week together, Kate's fingernails had been bitten into an appalling state, Lily was spending most of her waking time in the library and James' nervous habit of running his hands through his hair had made combing it a near impossibility. Even Dumbledore and McGonagall were not immune to the tension surrounding the five young people. On the Thursday evening marking the first full week that everyone had been together, James, Lily and Kate did their best to carry the conversation and were actually doing a decent job of it. Sirius spoke up from time to time, as did Remus – but they never spoke to each other. McGonagall suffered through the charade until the main course had finished – casting stern looks at the two Marauders as she ate - and then she could take it no longer.

"Am I to believe that the two of you have yet to come to any resolution of the situation that occurred last term?" She eyed the two young men, neither of whom would meet her gaze. Silence reigned, while James, Lily and Kate looked at their plates, as well.

"That was _not _a hypothetical question, gentlemen," McGonagall stated sharply. "I require an answer – preferably sometime before the rest of the students arrive for the new term."

Remus finally looked up at his professor and head of house. "With all due respect, Professor, the nature of the situation is such that there is no easy resolution to be had." He lifted his napkin from his lap and dropped it next to his plate, but before he could rise, McGonagall stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Remus," she said quietly, "I never said the resolution would be _easy_. I would think, however, that achieving it would be important enough to you _both_ that you would overcome the difficulties." When no response was forthcoming, she sighed and removed her hand.

Remus excused himself and left the table.

"Professor McGonagall's message is well-stated," Dumbledore said softly. He glanced at Sirius. "And I would imagine that you, Mr. Black, understand the difficulties about which she spoke."

Sirius nodded. "Intimately. What you've seen at meals is typical of every waking hour we are in the same room. Remus will not speak with me. He barely tolerates my presence and gives me no opportunity to approach him directly."

Dumbledore leaned toward the young man. "Sometimes we must _create_ opportunities, Mr. Black."

XXXXXXXX

The evening breeze was cool and rich with the fragrance of Night Scented Jessamine. Remus focused on the still surface of the lake and breathed deeply, trying to suppress the anger that threatened to bubble to the surface. _This is _not _some schoolboy disagreement,_ he thought to himself. _This cannot be '__resolved'_ _with a handshake and a promise to do better in future. Why is it that I am the only person who can see that?_

"Remus?"

The werewolf whipped around to see James standing a distance behind him. The dark-haired wizard gestured at the empty space next to where Remus was seated on "the Marauders'" flat rock. "May I?"

Remus nodded. "Did you draw the short straw, then?"

"Sorry?"

"Muggle phrase. I can't imagine that you're just here to pass the time – particularly after McGonagall's comment at dinner," Remus said, turning his head to look at his friend. When James simply stared back at him, Remus continued, "I suspect that you were elected to come and have a word with me."

"Nope. I'm here on my own." James said matter-of-factly. "I _am _capable of independent thought and action, you know."

Remus snorted. "Lily would be stunned to hear it."

James punched him on the shoulder lightly. "Shut it, you."

The two friends silently watched the giant squid stretching and moving inky black tentacles above the surface of the lake for a while before James spoke again.

"Helluva situation we've got here, isn't it, Moony?" His tone was conversational – deceptively so.

"Sorry?"

"Five friends…that's right – _five_…all together in one place for six weeks. No real rules, no real schedule. Should be the time of our lives, shouldn't it? It's not though, because we're not _really _together, are we? We're two different groups of four: Kate, Lily, you and me and Kate, Lily, Sirius and me. Makes things a bit awkward, really," James stated.

"And that's _my_ fault," Remus stiffened slightly.

"Honestly? No … and yes. The original act that caused all of this upheaval was definitely _not _your fault. We both know where the fault lies for that – actually, we _all _know. For the way you're acting now, though – yeah, I'd have to say that part _is _down to you," James answered.

"Care to explain how?" Remus' voice and manner were decidedly chilly.

"Why is it that whenever we bring up this topic – or the topic walks into the room – it gets so bloody cold? Never mind," Remus had started to slide forward as if to leave and James put out his arm to block him. "Wait – sorry. Stay. Please."

Remus used his heels to leverage himself back to the top of the rock again. James nodded once. "Thanks. Ok, so listen. You're operating on knowledge you had before we all left at the end of term. A lot has changed over the summer. _Sirius_ has changed. He might not have been able to come up with the words to say to you before, but he _can_ now. He's different, Remus; you saw some of it before we left – I know you did. I could see it on your face that day we discovered that Sirius had moved out. In part, he did that for _you_, you know. He knew it would be easier for you if he wasn't around the dorm, so he left."

"We – none of us - were talking to him at the time. It made Sirius' life easier to move out, as well. His motives weren't entirely selfless, were they?" Remus asked.

"Moving out didn't make Sirius' life easier, Remus, and if you weren't blinded by your own bitterness and anger, you'd see that. He isolated himself – _Sirius_ isolated himself. You know him as well as I do – in fact, I used to think you knew him _better_ than I did. If that's true, you _know_ how bloody awful it is for him to be alone – and you know _why_. Yeah, maybe getting out of the dorm meant that he didn't have to be in the middle of three people who weren't talking to him, but it _didn't _mean that he could forget about us. We didn't bother to hide anything about how we felt, did we? Not that he didn't deserve it at first, because he did. But things are different now," James said.

Remus swallowed audibly. "I'm glad that you and Sirius have repaired your friendship, James. Truly I am. And I'm happy that he and Kate have resolved _their _differences, as well. It's not that I want him friendless, James; I know too well what that's like for me to wish it for anyone else. I just can't pick things up where we left off; he's betrayed my trust – and whether or not you agree – I can't be a friend with someone I can't trust."

"Remus, I don't minimize what Sirius did – not for a moment. He was beyond stupid and careless _and_ unthinking. The difference between then and now is that before he just recognized that he'd been all of those things. _Now_, he realizes what he did and he understands the impact and what it's cost all of us." James slid down the rock and landed on his feet. Turning to face the other wizard, he shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Look, I know what he did and I understand what that means to you, alright? And I know that I don't have the right or the ability to make you forgive him; I don't even have the right to ask you to do it. But what I _will _ask is that you think about talking with him – just once, if that's all it turns out to be. Listen to him, Moony; if you still can't forgive him, then so be it." He looked down at his trainers for a moment. "So be it."

James nodded once then began to walk away when he heard Remus' voice again.

"I trusted him with my biggest secret, James."

"I know."

"And he used it – he used _me_ – against someone else without regard for the consequences."

"I know."

"James, I'm just … I'm so _angry_. How am I supposed to move beyond this?"

James sighed. "That I _don't _know. Maybe talking to Sirius is the only way you will ever answer that question."

"I'm not ready. I need time to think." Remus' voice was barely audible.

"Remus, you're one of my best mates, but you've got to figure out where you stand with this and sit down with him - either to hear him out to tell him that it's all over – that you can't be his friend. It's not fair to leave him hanging like this. It's not fair to _any _of us," James finished.

Remus rose and came to stand beside his friend. His expression was at once frustrated and sad. "You know, James, you're right: none of this is fair. And it's not my intent to punish Sirius for anything; I know full well that no one does a better job of punishing him than he himself can. There is nothing about this situation that I find satisfying or enjoyable. _Nothing_. Don't you think that _I, too_, would give anything to have things back the way they were before? What I find particularly difficult to manage right now is the fact that all of you seem to think that _I'm_ the problem. My unwillingness to forgive Sirius for what he did and step back into our roles as Marauders – best mates – is seen as the major roadblock here. I've become the self-pitying werewolf who can't see beyond his own angst and is dragging his feet in coming up with a resolution that will work for everyone. But you don't understand the first thing about any of this, James, although I thought certainly that you did. It's not that I'm throwing aside five years of friendship and focusing on one foolish act. I can't focus on anything else _but _the past five years. I thought Sirius was my friend – my best friend – one who had done more than simply _overlook_ my condition; _he accepted it_. He accepted _me. _He wouldn't allow me to wallow in the wolf – and he badgered all of you to become Animagi with him to make sure that the wolf didn't pull me under. This remarkable boy led me to believe that I deserved the friendship of other wizards – that I could be trusted, Dark Creature that I am. He pushed and the rest of you joined him. Sirius was the leader in all of it and despite everything I'd experienced prior to coming to this school – all the cruelty shown to me _and _to my parents because of what I am – I believed him. I _let _myself actually believe." Remus closed his eyes, clenching his hands into fists by his sides as he tried to bring his harsh breathing under control. It took several minutes before he spoke again; when he did his voice was much quieter, much calmer and tinged with an incredible sadness. "I let myself believe him," he repeated. "And look where it's led. I was worthy of his friendship, his protection, his loyalty – until an opportunity arose that was worth more to him than I was. How easily I ceased to be 'friend' and became, instead, _weapon_. Five years, James. For all of that time, I never suspected he was anything other than what he presented himself to be: my friend. Because of Sirius, I allowed myself to believe that I could actually _have_ friends. He pestered an eleven year-old boy until he'd knocked down every single wall I'd built up around me. I've experienced betrayal at the hands of those far less important to me than Sirius has been – and much more quickly. Because of them, I'd said that I'd always just keep to myself and give up the idea of friendship because – clearly – it wasn't meant to be. But as awful as those experiences were, none of those people ever used the wolf – used _me _to hurt another person. The worst they did was … well, I'm not sure that it matters what they did. In the context of this conversation, it's what they _didn't_ do that counts, I suppose." Remus looked curiously at his friend in the quickly fading sunlight. "Do you understand a bit better _now_?"

James had listened quietly as Remus spoke. He realized that until this moment, he had known only bits and pieces of the facts of Remus' earlier life. And he'd never really spent a great deal of time thinking about what having the three of them meant to Remus. Hearing all of this articulated by his friend, and having it all tied into the current problem with Sirius _did _bring things into a sharper focus – and he nodded. He was bitterly sorry for both of his friends – and realized that perhaps it _was_ more complicated than the simple confrontation he had proposed. Suddenly, another thought occurred to him.

"So, are you reconsidering your friendships with everyone _else_? With me? Peter? Lily? Kate? Do you think we're going to let you down at some point, too?" James asked.

Remus smiled sadly. "You can see my dilemma."

"So because Padfoot fucked up, you think the rest of us will?" James felt his face flush with indignation. "We are the _last_ people you should ever think would hurt you like that!"

Remus shoved his hands in his pockets as he turned to head back to the castle. "_Sirius_ was the last person I ever thought would hurt me."

XXXXXXXX

On his way back to the school, James came to one important decision regarding his conversation with Remus. To begin, he discarded his first instinct, which was to gather Lily and Kate and relate all he'd learned from their friend. James never considered pulling Sirius into that initial discussion, as James really didn't know quite how to tell the already-upset wizard everything Remus had said. Lily would insist that he speak with Sirius to encourage him to go directly to Remus. Kate would probably go right to Sirius herself, saving him the trouble. Neither scenario was palatable so he resolved to say nothing to anyone until he'd muddled it out on his own.

Climbing the steep hill that led from the lake to the courtyard and front entrance of the castle, James' mind replayed the earlier encounter with Remus. He felt a small stab of guilt for so quickly identifying Remus as the only problem without spending much time thinking about why the werewolf continued to distance himself from Sirius. _I should have known Remus wouldn't do anything to deliberately punish Sirius. I know him better than that. _

Having reached the top of the slope, James dropped down onto the soft, moist grass. He stared out toward Hagrid's hut standing far in the distance, but his mind continued to churn. He doubted that Sirius realized how much damage the Prank had done, although perhaps that wasn't an accurate assessment. Sirius knew the damage; perhaps the truer statement was that he didn't know the impact his actions had had on _Remus_. Sirius and Remus had discussed this whole mess with everyone but each other – at least in the months after their first, disastrous attempt at conversation. Remus had certainly left no doubt in anyone's mind that he had no intention of giving Sirius an opportunity to speak with him anytime soon. James recalled Dumbledore's words to Sirius at dinner that evening.

"_Sometimes we must _create_ opportunities, Mr. Black." _

Was Dumbledore subtly encouraging Sirius to push Remus for a resolution to their current standoff? Sirius wanted the chance to speak with his former friend and was becoming more and more anxious as each day passed without doing so. Knowing the young wizard as he did, James knew that it was only a matter of time before "anxious" became "desperate" – and it was bound to be a very _short _time frame before that happened. And as he had previously shown, a desperate Sirius was nearly impossible to reason with or control.

_Or _- was Dumbledore's message somehow directed at them all? James shook his head. That would be the worst thing to do to Remus, in his estimation. Having the four of them putting their heads together to come up with a plan felt too much like they would be ganging up on their friend and Remus would certainly come to that same conclusion. Surely, Dumbledore had thought of that.

"_Merlin_! When did things get _this _bloody complicated?" James hadn't realized he'd spoken the thought aloud until a deep voice sounded behind him.

"It's been my experience that the complications often set in once we expand our social circles beyond that of our immediate families." James jumped at the sound and turned as Dumbledore sat next to him. "In other words, when we begin to find our own friends." He smiled at James. "I didn't intend to startle you; forgive me."

"It's ok," James nodded. "I was thinking and didn't hear you."

"Yes, you appeared quite lost in thought as I approached."

"Did you need me for something, sir?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, not exactly. I often walk the grounds of an evening – particularly if I have something on my mind that needs sorting out. I find a leisurely stroll untangles my thoughts quite nicely." He peered at James sharply. "When I happened upon you sitting out here on your own, I found myself wondering if you were not perhaps doing the same thing."

"I just had a conversation with Remus," James confessed.

"Ah; I wondered if that might not have been your intent when you left school awhile ago."

"Sir, is there _anything_ you don't know?" James blurted out, then felt his face flush as he realized to whom he was speaking. "No offense intended," he mumbled.

Dumbledore chuckled. "None taken, James; none taken at all. Actually, there is a great deal that I do _not_ know; that's what keeps life interesting: the ability – and the desire - to continue to learn new things. I'll confess that I wish I _did _know how this business between Messrs. Black and Lupin will resolve itself."

"Or if it ever _will _resolve itself," James added. "It doesn't sound too promising at the moment."

Dumbledore sighed. "Our friend Mr. Lupin sets great store by trust – as I'm sure you already realize. It is a gift to receive the trust of another, particularly when the giver does not do so easily. Trust must be carefully guarded, carefully protected. Once lost, it is most difficult to recover – as Mr. Black has sadly discovered."

"Remus explained things a bit better tonight. I understand what this all means to him, but because Sirius betrayed his trust, he thinks that any of _us _could do the same. Professor, we would _never_ do that to him," James said earnestly.

"Words Remus has heard before, no doubt – or worse, a sentiment he has been able to infer from the actions of those who later proved less than sincere," the Headmaster said, his smile sad. "Given everything else that boy has experienced in his short lifetime, the issue of trust will inform everything he does."

James shook his head. "But he's so fixated on the past that he can't – or won't – allow himself to sit down and confront what's happening _now_. It's like Remus has made his decision and there's no changing him."

"When I learned that Remus would be coming back to school early as well, it seemed that there might be an opportunity for things to be resolved before the new term began," Dumbledore said quietly. "The rift amongst the four of you boys was most apparent in the months following the incident with Mr. Snape; too many students were distracted by it – including all of you."

"Sir, are you suggesting that we all try to find a way to make the two of them sit down and talk this through?" James was prepared to make his argument based on his earlier opinion of such a plan.

"I think that I might have joined you this evening with that thought in mind, but now I think it would be quite the wrong road to take. The last thing Remus needs right now is to feel as if his friends have banded together to confront him. He might feel a bit outnumbered. Given the current situation, I think that would come to no good end." Dumbledore rose to his feet with a groan and a rueful smile in James' direction. James, too, stood and waited silently as the old wizard stretched his back a bit before speaking again. "The damp, hard ground and my old bones are not meant to be together," he said. "Come, let's walk back to the castle together." As the pair traversed the remaining distance to the castle at a leisurely pace, Dumbledore spoke again about the problem at hand. "Perhaps the worst thing any of us can do is to force this issue directly with either party and, instead, allow their individual natures to take their respective courses. After you'd left the castle this evening, Sirius was making some rather broad hints about perhaps relocating to another room for the remainder of the summer holiday. I chose to ignore them in favor of leaving him with you and Remus, in hopes that they might have the conversation they both need to have. I'm not certain that my decision was the best one in view of our chat."

James' eyebrows rose appreciably. "But, Professor, how will separating them prompt any kind of conversation?"

"I have an idea," the old wizard said. "And, before you say anything, I will remind you that I said _you four_ plotting to get them to talk to each other was a poor idea. I said nothing about interference from their Headmaster."

"What are you going to do, Sir?"

"Ah, here we are," Dumbledore said as they reached the front doors of the school. He raised his hand in a sweeping gesture and both doors swung inward, allowing them to walk right through. "Do you know, James, I always say that in any journey, the return trip seems so much shorter than the first half; don't you agree?"

"Sir? What does that have to do with …?"

"Goodnight, James. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. I wonder; when you see Sirius, could you please send him to my office? Thank you." And he was off, moving at a speed that would never be associated with a normal wizard of his age. James snorted as he turned toward the staircase.

"No one could confuse Dumbledore with a _normal_ wizard," he muttered as he raced up the stairs, hoping the staircase would remain in its place until he reached his destination.

XXXXXXXX

"You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Ah, Sirius; yes, indeed. Thank you for being so prompt," Dumbledore gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Please, sit down."

Sirius nodded and did as he was asked, almost overwhelmed with curiosity. He knew from experience, however, that Dumbledore would not be hurried and would speak when he was ready.

"Licorice snap?" the headmaster offered a crystal dish filled with snapping black candies.

"No, thank you," he said, having learned his lesson after one of the candies had snapped itself to the lobe of one ear, requiring a trip to the hospital wing to have it magically removed.

"Unpredictable, but delicious," Dumbledore announced as he selected one from the dish and popped it into his mouth. After he'd consumed the sweet, he looked at Sirius over the top of his spectacles.

"I've given some additional thought to your request to move into another dormitory for the remainder of the holiday. It had been my hope that by residing in the same dormitory as Mr. Lupin, the two of you might be able to resolve things more quickly – for better or for worse. It does not seem that this will be the case. As such, I am going to recant my earlier decision and allow you to move into other accommodations," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Thank you, Sir," Sirius said, his voice reflecting his surprise.

"As I'm sure you appreciate, the other dormitory rooms are receiving their annual cleaning by the House Elves and so are not available to you. I am certain you are familiar with a room known as, "the Room of Requirement", are you not?"

Sirius nodded. "I am. I won't lie to you, Sir; I spent the last weeks of the spring term there."

Dumbledore smiled. "I thought as much, but I thank you for your candor. You may move there tonight if you'd like, but before you do, I have something I would like you to do."

_Oh no._ Sirius instinctively knew this wasn't good. "Yes, sir?"

"I believe that your friends were unaware of where you had gone when you left the dormitory last term, would that be the case?"

"Yes, sir. You see, they – well, that is to say _we_ were not getting on very well…" Sirius began.

"And it was difficult to be there, of course. I do think, however, that since things have been resolved between you, you should reassure Mr. Potter that your move has nothing to do with _him_," Dumbledore interjected.

"James will realize that, Professor. We've talked it all over and …"

Again, Dumbledore jumped in. "…and in fairness to _both_ of your dorm-mates, you must also let Mr. Lupin know that you are leaving – and _why_."

Sirius' mouth closed with a _pop_. He simply stared at Dumbledore, who calmly stared right back at him. The younger wizard finally found his voice. "I _can't _'let Mr. Lupin know'," he said. "He won't talk to me; won't listen to me. You know that. You saw it at dinner. You heard him. He…"

"There are other ways of communicating, Sirius. You must find one that works. If you are determined to re-establish your friendship with Mr. Lupin, you must take every opportunity that presents itself. You feel that your presence in the dorm room is making both of you uncomfortable and want to do something to alleviate it. Admirable. Mr. Lupin appears unwilling to have the conversation that would do so. Therefore, you feel that leaving the dormitory is the acceptable alternative. Fine, however you owe it to your friends to tell them that you are going – and why. If you leave but say nothing, you do nothing to convince Mr. Lupin you've changed from the boy you were at the end of last term. _You _know _that_."

"Yes, sir," Sirius said, reluctantly.

"You know, Sirius, I have granted your request but it does not mean that I think it is the best way to resolve things. I will confess, however, that I am somewhat at a loss as to how that can be accomplished. There is a part of me that says allowing you to leave Gryffindor Tower is hugely counterproductive. There is another part, however, that believes that by allowing you to go, we eliminate the chance that close quarters would drive a further wedge between you. You can appreciate the difficulty, I'm sure," Dumbledore said.

Sirius nodded but remained quiet for several minutes. Sensing that the young wizard had something further on his mind, Dumbledore waited him out. Finally,

"Do you think I'm a coward for moving out?"

Dumbledore smiled. "I would be hard put to call _you _a coward for any reason, my boy. Why do you ask?"

Sirius ran his hands through his hair as he tried to organize his thoughts. Unable to sit still any longer, he rose and started to pace in front of the headmaster's desk, head down, focused entirely on making sense of what he wanted to say. He finally came to a stop in front of Fawkes' perch, although he didn't pay attention to the dozing phoenix, instead facing Dumbledore as he began to speak.

"I know that what I did was stupid – sending Snape to the shack, I mean. I didn't think – something I'm known for – and allowed anger to take over. That was cowardly. I've thought about that night over and over again until I can't think anymore and if I had it to do over again, I'd like to believe that I would do it differently. The thing is, Professor, when I moved out last term, I did it because I couldn't take being ignored any more. Peter, James and Remus had made it clear enough that they didn't want to have anything to do with me and I just couldn't live there any longer." Sirius stopped and took a deep breath.

"And now?" Dumbledore prompted quietly.

Sirius looked the older wizard directly in the eye. "Now, I'm leaving _partially _because it's uncomfortable for me, but _mostly_ because I know that by being there, I'm making _Remus_ uncomfortable."

Dumbledore nodded. "It's admirable that you would like to alleviate Remus' discomfort, but I cannot see how it's possible to do so. I also do not necessarily agree that it's your responsibility to try." Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise and the headmaster smiled. "That shocks you, doesn't it?"

"I created the problem; I'm responsible for fixing it."

"Yes, and you've tried. Repeatedly. And been rebuffed for your efforts. Remus, it seems, isn't interested in fixing the problem. How is his discomfort anything but his own problem to solve in that case?" Dumbledore's outward expression didn't change but his eyes were keenly trained on Sirius' face as he waited for him to process what had been said. He didn't have long to wait.

"But … this is my fault," Sirius said quietly. "It's down to me to make it right."

"If that is your decision, I commend you for it," Dumbledore said. "But I caution you to prepare yourself to accept whatever may come from your attempts. Simply attempting to make things right does not mean that you will be successful."

Sirius felt his heart sink at the headmaster's words. He was not prepared to lose Remus as a friend. They had been through too much together; the idea that four would become three or worse – that the Marauders would disappear forever – was wrenching.

"You think that it's all pointless, then; no matter what I do, the friendship is well over because of me." The boy's voice broke slightly at the end and he cleared his throat to try to cover the sound.

Sirius felt a nudge against his shoulder and looked down to see Fawkes pushing his brilliant scarlet head against him. He reached up and stroked the phoenix' feathers gently, feeling calmer at the quiet, soothing trill that issued from the beautiful bird's throat. Sirius continued to stroke the bird, quietly thrilled when Fawkes hopped from his perch to rest on Sirius' arm. The young wizard looked over at the headmaster, who smiled gently in response.

"The Phoenix have remarkable magical powers, you know," Dumbledore rose and came around to where Sirius was standing. "Their very presence can create a feeling of calm where there is turmoil and their tears can heal even the deadliest of wounds. They are loyal to a fault to those they love and will fight fiercely on their behalf. They share their magical gifts until they simply cannot do so any longer. Once they have been depleted, they burst into flame and rise from those ashes a new incarnation of themselves. There are those – myself among them - who believe that the newly re-born Phoenix are imbued with the knowledge, love and regard given to them in their former life – and are strengthened by it to move forward into the next." The headmaster stroked Fawkes' wing and the great bird leaned into the touch. "It is a lesson that applies to us all, I think. We all grow and change from the people we once were. It is a natural part of life. Oh, we don't do it quite as spectacularly as our friend here, but we leave pieces of our former selves behind as we evolve. And sometimes, our relationships have to die before _they_ can be reborn into what _they _are meant to become."

Fawkes nudged Sirius' hand, which had stilled as he'd listened to the headmaster.

"It would appear that you've made a new friend," Dumbledore observed, smiling.

Sirius nodded. "Maybe I'll come back and visit him again after I've settled things with an old one," he said, watching as Fawkes flew up onto Dumbledore's shoulder. "Thank you, Professor."

"You're quite welcome, my boy, but I've done nothing," came the gentle response.

"Hmm, I don't know about that," Sirius replied. "I think I'll head back to the dorm, if we're finished here."

"Not moving after all?"

Sirius shook his head. "Not at the moment. I'll tell you if that changes. For right now, I think I'll stay where I am and … see what evolves." He smiled and turned toward the door.

Dumbledore watched him go with a smile tempered by visible concern. He extended his arm toward Fawkes' perch and his familiar returned to it, trilling softly as the headmaster made his way back to his desk.

"We've done what we can, Fawkes. Now we wait and see."


	53. Consumed by the Fire

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Language, adult situations and content

Chapter 53 – Consumed by the Fire

Sirius strode into the dormitory to find James sitting on his bed, flipping aimlessly through an old Quidditch Monthly. He threw himself on top of his bed, clasping his hands behind his head and waiting for the unavoidable reaction from his friend.

"Well, what happened?" James tossed the magazine on the floor and came over to sit on the end of Sirius' bed. "What did he say?"

"He told me that I could move if I wanted to," Sirius answered. "But I'm not going to; I'm staying here."

James slapped him on the leg and let out a laugh. "Brilliant! I thought moving was a bad idea."

"I'm going to reconsider if you're going to do _that _on a regular schedule!"

"Git," James returned. "So, what are you going to do?"

Sirius shrugged. "Dunno exactly. But I _do _know that I'm not going to just sit back while Remus ignores me. I've done enough of it. Speaking of Remus, do you know where he is?"

"Grabbed one of his books and hared it to the library about an hour ago."

Sirius rose.

"You're _not _going to try to talk to him in the _library_, are you?" James asked, jumping up to block the other boy's path to the door.

"Why not? In case you hadn't noticed, there aren't any students here yet. It's the summer holiday. Pince isn't even here. Don't be thick, James. It doesn't matter if he yells and screams at me; there's no one but me to hear it, is there?" Sirius reasoned, sidestepping James and walking rapidly toward the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Sirius turned in the doorway and smiled. "No, James. I got myself into this mess; I will get myself out of it – one way or another." He paused, "I'm not sure what's going to happen, Jamie. It could get worse, you know."

"I know, Padfoot and we'll deal with it if it happens. Remember what Kate said: 'Don't borrow trouble'."

"Right."

XXXXXXXX

In the furthest corner of the Hogwarts library, undiscovered by more than a handful of students, was nestled an extremely secluded, cozy nook replete with a deep sofa, a squashy chair and a working – if tiny – fireplace. Remus, of course, was intimately familiar with _every _nook and cranny of the library; in better days, he gamely held up under the merciless teasing of the other Marauders when it came to his love of books.

When Lily finally capitulated to the ever-persistent James, he shared the hideaway with her and the two spent many pleasant – and undisturbed – hours studying. It became Remus' refuge in the pre-moon days when the wolf made its presence felt and the human struggled to control his more irritable personality.

Regrettably, it was the day after a full moon that a still-groggy Remus described the location of the corner to Sirius so that an errant Charms textbook could be retrieved. Upon his return, Sirius teasingly told his friend that he had finally found one section of the library he could love. To preserve Remus' "private reading place", as Sirius dubbed it, however, he promised that he would never reveal it to anyone else and he was as good as his word. The one or two witches he'd brought to the nook – for decidedly non-literary pursuits – had been blindfolded for the trip. The dark haired Animagus discovered the fact that Remus also used the lovely soft sofa for a similar 'activity' quite by accident on his last visit. In deference to his best friend, Sirius quietly spirited his Hufflepuff date away from the area and never went there again.

This evening the tall, lead and glass window was propped open to let in the cool night breeze and the comforting sound of peepers and bullfrogs calling out from the damp shore of the lake. Beneath it, Remus nestled in a corner of the sofa, a copy of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in his grip. Having stared at the same page for well over a quarter-hour, Remus closed the book and smiled grimly at the title on its cover. _Perfect choice_, he thought to himself as he turned and brought his long legs up onto the sofa, stretching his long frame until he was comfortably lying on the soft cushions, his head propped on a matching pillow.

Since coming up from the lake, Remus had been unable to purge the conversation with James from his head. To be more accurate, he was unable to purge the _feelings_ evoked from the conversation. He missed his friends – all of them – but knew that what he was missing was the easy camaraderie and brotherhood from before. Remus couldn't see how those times could be recaptured; couldn't envision trusting Sirius enough to _allow_ them to be recaptured.

Remus sighed and shifted his position on the sofa. He hated being at sixes and sevens with anyone – particularly with his friends. _It was easier last term when we all felt the same way about what had happened. Well, James and Peter at any rate. Lily and, of course, Kate, had been more neutral as time had worn on. _James had told Remus only that Sirius had explained things to him and that they were friends again. Remus snorted. _Sirius obviously had time to come up with a good story to earn James' trust again. _But even as that thought came to him, Remus knew it wasn't fair. Last term, he had seen for himself that Sirius had changed and since returning to the castle a week ago, the other wizard had done nothing to indicate that he'd reverted to his previous form. _But it took him five years to turn on me, so a few months is hardly enough to go on. _

"Remus?"

The werewolf bolted from the sofa like a shot at the sound of Sirius' voice. He looked in the direction from which it had come and almost immediately, Sirius stepped from the shadowed darkness into the light cast from the single wall torch.

"I'm sorry, Remus; I didn't mean to startle you. James told me you'd headed for the library with a book and I reckoned I'd find you back here," Sirius walked a bit closer to the other wizard. "I want to talk to you; I've been trying to do that for awhile now."

Remus shook his head. "There's nothing you have to say that interests me."

"I don't believe you," Sirius said simply, swallowing down his irritation at yet another dismissal from his former friend. "We were too close and you're too analytical. If for no other reason, you'd want to hear me out just to satisfy your curiosity."

"You flatter yourself," Remus' voice was harsh.

"No. No, I don't flatter myself. Not anymore, at any rate," Sirius replied evenly. "Now, the way I see it, you can either give in and listen to me or we can continue this stupid, bloody game where you try to avoid me and I keep coming after you. Wouldn't it be simpler to just get it out of the way so we both know where we stand?"

"Sirius, _please_," Remus put his hands out in front of him as if to ward off the other boy. "I don't care why you did what you did; it's the fact that you used me that I can't get past. I don't need to listen to you if that's what you want to tell me and I can't imagine that you'd have anything else to say that would matter."

Sirius felt his anger rise and again struggled to control it. _This is the longest he's stayed in front of you since the Prank, you twit; don't lose it now. _He took a deep breath. "I know that you don't want anything to do with me. But, you see, Remus, I'm trying to make things right – or to at least apologize to you for what I've done, but you just won't give me the chance. I know that I've hurt you and I know that I betrayed your trust – I realize those things. I'm sorrier than I can ever tell you, Remus – truly I am. I know what I've done to you and if I could …"

"You '_know what you've done to me_'? You know _nothing_ of what you've done!" Remus advanced closer to Sirius, who stood his ground. He'd gotten the other boy to talk to him – finally – and he wasn't going to give him any reason to stop talking if he could help it.

_I'll surprise you, Remus. I'll stand here and take it; just keep talking._

"You're so _fucking_ determined to have this conversation? _Brilliant_! We'll have it. But just you remember, Black: you _bloody asked for it_!"

_Right. Here it is, then. Remus is piqued – finally. Let's give it a go. _"I didn't plan to send Snape to the shack; it just happened. I wasn't thinking clearly; I was so _angry_ that I …"

Remus jumped in. "…saw the chance to end your difficulties with Snape once and for all."

"_No!_ It wasn't like that," Sirius protested, shaking his head. "Remus, never once did I stand there and make the connection that if I sent Snape to the wolf, it would kill him! Not _once_!"

"Not '_the wolf'_, Sirius – _me_! _I am the wolf_! That's the critical piece you cannot seem to grasp. It would _not _have been the wolf that killed Snape – it would have been _me_!" Remus had been shouting when their encounter began, but this last was said in a voice that was eerily quiet, impassioned though he was in his delivery.

"I know that now," Sirius responded in kind, although his voice held the barest quiver of desperation as he continued. "Remus, you can't believe that I would knowingly – _willingly_ – take that kind of chance with your _life_! If I had stopped to think, I would have realized the truth in what you've just said and I would have come to myself enough to have … to not … Remus, I never would have done what I did."

"You can't know that – and neither can I."

"I have to believe it. Remus, so many things have changed since that night. I'm not the same person I was then."

Remus shook his head. "You're not the person I've thought you were for the past five years, either."

Sirius sucked in a sharp breath. He'd known how Remus felt and the words were an echo of their conversation that morning in the hospital wing, but to hear them again still hurt. More than he was prepared for. Sirius took a few moments to compose himself before speaking again.

"See, that's the part I don't understand. For the past five years, I've proven myself to be someone who acted without thinking. I can't imagine how you can stand there and say that by not thinking things through with Snape I showed anything _but _typical behavior!" Sirius instinctively knew that he hadn't advanced his case with that remark, but it didn't seem that anything, at the moment, _would_ make Remus see him any differently. He watched the other wizard and waited for him to reply. Remus moved back toward the sofa and resumed his seat before he did.

"And for that, I blame myself. I should have realized this would happen one day – and ended the friendship long ago." Remus' voice was cold.

Sirius felt his anger rush back with such force that he couldn't control it; truth be told, he didn't even want to _try. _Words dropped from his brain onto his tongue and he didn't trouble himself to edit them.

"Because I'm a Black, right? Because no matter what face I presented to you, it would always be nothing more than a mask for my true nature, wouldn't it?" He began to pace back and forth in front of Remus, propelled by the force of emotion running through him. "Obviously, befriending you, learning everything I could possibly learn about werewolves in an attempt to find _something_ that might help you each month – that was all an act; I was merely _pretending_ to be your friend – and to what purpose? The sheer joy of experimenting with potions and spells to effect the Animagus transformation – _that_ must have been it. Yes, I remember with great fondness the gleeful experience of pain and nausea associated with each failed attempt at perfecting the potion. No…_perhaps_ it was the sheer number of failed attempts at transformation that brought on all that lovely exhaustion. No, wait, I _have it_! It was the brilliant opportunity to be in the room with you for those gut wrenching, painful transformations from boy to wolf and back again." Suddenly, Sirius stopped and stood directly in front of Remus. The sarcastic sneer that had marred his handsome features was gone, replaced by an odd mixture of anger, resentment and sadness. "When we became friends, I knew _nothing _of the wolf, if you'll remember. You were a quiet boy on a train who locked an empty compartment door behind him after turning away from an idiot who teased him. I don't remember exactly why I knocked on that door instead of moving on to one of the other vacant compartments. Maybe it was curiosity; I'd seen plenty of kids _run_ away from bullies, but I'd never seen one who turned and calmly _walked_ away like you did. I _do _remember wanting to make sure that git didn't come back. I also remember that when I introduced myself, I could tell by your face that you knew the name. But you never said a word; you shook my hand and you made room for me in that compartment. You accepted me. Or so I thought at the time."

"I did…" Remus said quietly.

"Not really, though, did you? You just said it now. _'I should have realized this would happen one day'_. Those were your exact words," Sirius interrupted.

"I wasn't saying…"

"Shut _up_!" Sirius' shout was full of anger and his eyes flashed with it. "_Bloody, buggering hell_;I am _so fucking sick of this_! You sanctimonious _bastard_! I fucked up, _ok_? In a fit of anger – and fear – I sent Snape where he should _never _have known to go! I'm responsible for that – and I will carry that knowledge _and _the guilt that goes with it for the rest of my life. You had the _right_ to be bloody furious with me and you _exercised_ it. You cut me the fuck out of your life without sparing me so much as ten minutes' time to explain myself. Oh, I _know _that the why of it all isn't important to you, Remus and you know what? I don't believe it is anymore, either. You've repeatedly told me that it's the _fact _of what I did, not the reason behind it that concerns you. But, don't you _see_, Remus? All that says to me is that you're pissed off that I did it. You're not giving me an inch to try to make it up to you. Five years, Remus…_five _years of being your friend – and they mean _nothing _to you? You can throw away our friendship without even _listening _to me? Without even trying – even _wanting _to try to fight for it? I _thought_ friendships meant more to you than that. _You _taught _me _that friendships were worth _everything_; that they were certainly worth fighting for. But I guess I was wrong about that, too, because what I'm finally starting to hear through all of this frigid silence of yours is that you just can't be fuckin' _arsed_ to try; and you _certainly_ have absolutely _no_ intention of forgiving me!"

Remus leapt from the sofa at this. "You have no right to demand forgiveness," he shouted.

"I already _know_ that and the only thing I'm _demanding_ of you is more of what you've given me for the past months – _silence_. But this time, I want that silence to mean something. I want you to hear me out. Look at it this way: it'll be over with quicker if you just sit there and _listen_ to me," Sirius shouted back, staring the werewolf down until he nodded once – reluctantly.

"Right," Sirius continued, lowering his voice. "Where was I? Oh, yeah – forgiveness - or the lack of it at any rate. You'd have no way of knowing this, but I've learned a lot about forgiveness since I sent Snape to the shack. You said that I had no right to demand your forgiveness and I truly _do_ know that. I learned that _no one_ can demand forgiveness from anyone else; it's either given freely or shouldn't be given at all. One _should_ have the chance to earn it, however, but I guess what I did to you makes that impossible in your eyes. I can't fight you anymore after this, I've decided, so you won't have to worry about a repeat of this bloody scene. I've already begged, already apologized – and all of it has fallen on deaf ears. I will always regret losing you, Remus. You've been like a brother and I've loved you as one. We've fought, we've disagreed and we've probably irritated each other to no end about any number of things, but in the end, we've always fixed it. I guess that's done with now. I can finally say that, after spending the past few weeks denying that it could ever happen; convinced that if I could just get you to listen to me, that I could fix it – yet again."

Sirius swallowed audibly and walked over to the fireplace to give himself time to compose himself.

"You know, when you come right down to it, we are very similar creatures, Remus. Neither of us is what we're supposed to be. Neither of us is truly what we're labeled. I guess, given everything, I would have thought that _you_ wouldn't have judged me based on my name, just as I have never judged you based on people's perceptions of lycanthropes. Never _once_. I never dreamt that you would have been waiting for me to show my "true colors" – or _color_, forgive the pun. It helps me to understand what you must have felt like that morning in the hospital wing when I told you what I'd done, but I would have hoped that after five years, your expectations of me – your opinion of me - would have been higher.

"I'm sorrier for all of this than I know how to tell you, though Merlin knows I've tried every way I can think of. I'm sorry there's no coming back from it and that we won't be friends any longer. I'm sorry that I've finally lived up to your expectations, Remus, but look on the bright side: you were right, even though it took a little time for me to get there," Sirius turned to walk away, knowing he had a limited amount of time before his tenuous grip on his emotions slipped entirely.

"Sirius," Remus' voice stopped the other boy, but he didn't turn around. "I didn't mean that I … that you … I didn't think…"

Sirius turned to face Remus. "You didn't think," he repeated softly. "Happens to the best of us, doesn't it?"

Remus dropped his gaze to the floor and, moments later, heard the sound of Sirius' heavy boots walking, then running across the flagstone floor of the library.

XXXXXXXX

Kate stood before the wall that hid the Room of Requirement. James had just finished telling her – and Lily – where Sirius had gone and what he intended to do. Based on Remus' mood before he'd left for the library, James felt certain that things were going to go very badly indeed and Kate agreed with him. She doubted Sirius had finished his confrontation with Remus but was willing to bet that when he did, he would come here instead of returning to the dormitory. With that in mind, Kate closed her eyes and walked once, twice then three times, back and forth before the wall. Suddenly, the outline of a door appeared then intricate carvings filled the outline and, finally, the heavy, cast iron door handle appeared. Grasping it, Kate pulled firmly and entered, closing the door firmly behind her.

As she turned, Kate rather expected to see a room similar to that which she'd experienced when the group had come together to strategize over Ofelia's situation. Instead, she slowly walked toward what appeared to be a single dormitory room – modified slightly. Obviously Gryffindor, from its deep burgundy and gold color scheme, the room boasted one double bed, one writing desk, one coat rack, one bookcase and one nightstand. Instead of the small, wood stove that stood in the center of each dorm room, however, there was a large fireplace along one wall, in front of which stood a seating arrangement of a sofa and two chairs that mirrored the Common Room. Thinking that Sirius was moving from the Tower into this space, it initially made sense to her but as Kate sat down on the sofa, she realized that it didn't. If _she _was the person to summon the Room of Requirement, shouldn't the room have morphed into what _she _needed it to be? Or, was she so in tune with Sirius that she could summon what _he_ needed? _I _was _thinking about his move when I summoned it; perhaps that's it_, Kate mused, but there was still some niggling kernel of doubt that she could not quite put her finger on.

Kate shivered and was dismayed to remember that the warm air of the July evening had not permeated the castle walls in the slightest. Dressed as she was in a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans, she was unprepared for the chill in the room. She rose, pulling her wand from her pocket and, pointing it at the fireplace, murmured, "_Incendio!_" Kate was immediately gratified to see flames spring up amidst the large stack of wood in the grate and, pocketing her wand, moved closer to the fire to take advantage of its warmth. As she did so, she heard the heavy door creak then scrape against the stone floor. Turning in the direction of the noise, Kate saw Sirius pulling the door closed behind him. When he turned toward the room, Kate sucked in a sharp breath; he looked terrible.

"Sirius?" she took a step toward him. His face was deathly pale, his brilliant blue eyes red-rimmed. Kate could see tear tracks still moist on his cheeks, but he was not crying now; his expression was unusually still. Whatever had happened in the library, it was obviously more than the young wizard had bargained for – and it had clearly taken a terrible toll.

"Katie," he said quietly, voice hoarse. "I talked to him; to Remus, I mean."

"Come and sit," Kate took another step in his direction and extended her hand.

He looked at it for a moment as if dazed, then reached out and grasped it tightly. "Kate…," he whispered.

"Shh, love. Come and sit," she said again, walking slowly, leading him to the sofa. Once there, she gave his shoulder a gentle push and he sat heavily on the deep cushion, head against the cushioned back, still not relinquishing her hand.

Kate sat close to him and pulled her feet up onto the sofa so her upper body rested against his side; she dropped her head to his shoulder and just sat quietly. For what seemed like a long while, there was no sound in the room but the crackle of the hearth. But for the occasional sighs from the wizard next to her – and her own suspicions about his state of mind - Kate would have thought him asleep. Finally, he proved her right and spoke, his voice tight and hollow sounding.

"He won't forgive me, Kate. He just won't."

Kate closed her eyes. "He said that to you, did he?"

She felt him nod against her hair and she sat up straight to look at him. His eyes looked so _lost_, as if his best friend had died. _I guess in many ways, he has._

"We said a lot of things. He yelled at me, I yelled at him; it was a right knockdown. In the end, though, none of it mattered. I'm a Black; I was bound to revert to form – and five years worth of fighting against form, five years of being his friend – well, they're not enough." Sirius closed his eyes for a few moments. "It's over and _Merlin_, Katie, now that it is, I'm just _so tired_."

Kate leaned over and kissed his mouth gently. "Why don't I run you a nice bath? You soak for a bit and relax and I'll go to the kitchens and see if the house elves will give me some tea or maybe something chocolate to bring back, yes?"

Sirius' grip on her hand tightened and his eyes flew open to search her face. "You'll come back, though."

Kate's heart clenched. "Always," she whispered. "I will _never _leave you."

Sirius' eyes filled and he blinked rapidly to clear them. "I love you."

"I love you back," she said, smiling gently, then sat back against the cushions as Sirius sat upright.

"No bath," he said, shaking his head. "Maybe a short nap, though." _Haven't been sleeping well for the worrying; nothing to really worry about now, is there?_

Kate glanced over at the door, then back at Sirius. _That would work; that would work nicely_.

"Right, then. You take a short nap and I'll head to the kitchens. I'll be back before you know it," Kate rose.

"Katie-girl? Will you stop and tell James that I won't be back tonight? I think I'll stay here. Not permanently – just –," Sirius paused.

"Just tonight," Kate finished for him and was rewarded with a small smile. "Would you like some company?"

His expression changed to one of surprise and the resulting smile was the closest to normal Kate had seen since they left Brighton.

Sirius nodded. "Just to sleep, Kate, really. It would be nice not to be alone."

Kate leant down and kissed the top of his head. "Absolutely. I'll go to the kitchens, then to see James. I'll need to stop in my room for a moment or two as well, but then I'll be back. I promise."

Sirius nodded, then stretched out on the sofa. He was asleep before Kate could turn to head to the door.

Once she was certain he couldn't see her face, Kate dropped the mask and her eyes snapped _fire_. With the legitimate errand of seeing James on Sirius' behalf, Kate had been given the perfect opportunity to deliver her _own _message.

XXXXXXXX

Kate spat the password at the Fat Lady's portrait and hurried through the opening once the frame had swung inward. Once on the other side, Kate's eyes swept the room before her, disappointed to find James alone before the fire.

"Where is he?"

James stood. "Kate! I haven't seen him; I'd hoped he was with you."

"I'm talking about _Remus_, James. Where is he?" Kate put her hands on her hips and stared the young wizard down furiously.

_Merlin_, he thought. _Padfoot has surely met his match in _this _one. _"Upstairs," he managed, stunned when she strode purposefully toward the stairway that led to the boys' dormitory.

"Kate! You can't …" but she was already gone. A moment later, he heard the crack of a door hitting a wall. "_Bollocks_!" he swore. "Remus is done for!"

XXXXXXXX

Remus sat bolt upright on his bed when the dormitory door hit the wall. He was stunned to see Kate standing in front of him, fury written all over her lovely face.

"Waiting for Sirius to return so you can pick up where you left off?"

Remus closed his eyes. "Kate, please. You don't …"

"'_I don't_' what, Remus? Know all the details? No, probably not. But I know enough. He apologized, didn't he? I suspect you didn't let him get a whole lot farther than that, although he _did _mention that you both spent a fair amount of time yelling at one another. He also mentioned that you refused to forgive him. You actually intimated that he'd spent the past five years waiting for a chance to betray you. Remus, how could you?"

"He misunderstood…" Remus said.

"Really? I don't know, Remus; I just left him and it seemed to me that he was pretty clear. You weighed five years of friendship against five minutes of stupidity and decided that his stupidity was worth more than everything you've shared for the past five years," Kate's voice rose as she spoke. "In fact, those five minutes were so much more important, you were willing to throw away any chance of friendship because of them!"

"Kate," James had come up the stairs and stood in the doorway. "You might get a bit further if you let him answer at least one of the questions you've asked, yeah?" His voice was soft, but firm. Remus shot him a grateful look before turning his attention back to Kate.

"Where is Sirius, Kate?" Remus asked quietly. Upon closer inspection, the toll the situation had taken – was taking – on the young werewolf was most apparent. Kate's loyalties, however, lay elsewhere.

She thrust out her chin defiantly. "Why? So you can finish him off? It wouldn't take much to do it, I assure you. You've done a good job of it already." She paused, shaking her head. "No, I won't tell you where he is."

"He's wrong about something; I need to make sure he knows that," Remus tried again – but with no real expectation of changing her mind. He wasn't disappointed.

Kate bristled, even though Remus' tone was far from aggressive and bore no trace of anger. "Remus, I know that what he did was wrong – stupid and wrong – but he knows that, too. You've spent a lot of time punishing him with silence. Tonight, you punished him with words and you managed to convince him that you've no use for him and that you won't forgive him. Personally, I think that you've pointed out enough of his faults; he doesn't need to hear one more from you. I want you to leave him alone now. You certainly haven't had any problem ignoring him since this thing happened. Just keep on doing it."

Kate turned to James. "Sirius won't be coming back here tonight. He asked me to tell you."

"Is he alright?"

"No," Kate looked over at Remus and exhaled sharply, her anger dissipating now that she'd had the chance to confront him. Somehow, she didn't feel as victorious as she'd thought she'd feel when she set out for the Tower. She just felt sad – for the both of them.

"Remus, I don't think you know how much you mean to Sirius; how much you'll always mean to him. He loves you like a brother and he's spent the past couple of months replaying that night over and over in his head. He drags his guilt around with him like a great iron ball chained to his ankle. He knows what he did and he knows what it cost him. How much he's valued overall. He now knows that, to you, the depth of his mistakes is the measure of his worth. Nothing else. No matter how hard he tries, no matter what he does, he has no value in your eyes," Kate paused to brush away the tears that had begun to fall. "These are for _him_," she said fiercely. "Because he's worth more than you give him credit for; he's worth more than his own _family _gives him credit for. How many stupid things have _you _done in your lifetime, Remus? I mean, besides befriending Sirius, which you apparently count amongst your mistakes." She waited for a moment and, when no answer was forthcoming, she spoke again. "Nothing to say? Well, I can tell you one thing, Remus; I might not know how _many _mistakes you've made, but I know which one was the biggest. It was the one you made tonight. The one where you chose a grudge over a friend." Kate took a deep breath and turned to James. "Could you give me Sirius' toothbrush and shaving kit, please?"

"I'll be right back," he said, glancing at Remus who looked truly stricken as he stood in front of Kate.

"Kate," Remus began again, as James re-entered the room.

"Don't," she said softly. Taking the kit from James, she turned toward the door. "I have to go." And with that, she stepped into the hallway.

Ignoring Lily's questions, Kate slipped into her room and grabbed her own toiletries and a change of clothing before leaving as quickly as she'd arrived. After a brief stop in the kitchens she was finally ready to return to the Room of Requirement, which she did while glancing over her shoulder every now and again to make certain none of her friends had followed her. Pacing three times before the wall, she opened the door when it appeared and walked inside as quietly as she could in the event Sirius was still asleep.

"Katie?" his voice called quietly through the dim light. He had moved from the sofa to the bed and extinguished all light save that emanating from the fireplace. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she replied, cursing the nasal quality of her voice. Perhaps he wouldn't notice.

"You don't sound so fine," he said. "What happened?"

Kate turned to find him sitting up in the bed, bare-chested, a look of concern on his handsome face. "I've brought sandwiches, chocolate cake and some milk back from the kitchens. Come and have something to eat."

Sirius rose from the bed, grabbed a sweatshirt and pulled it over his head then padded barefoot over to where she was standing, returning the food, plates, glasses, and utensils to their normal size and laying them out on the hearth rug.

"_Stasis_," he murmured softly then turned toward Kate. "It'll keep. Come talk to me."

Kate took the hand he offered to her and sat down next to him on the sofa. She looked at his face and felt her emotions well again as she saw the concern in his eyes.

"Did you see James?"

Kate nodded. "I have your shaving kit and your toothbrush."

Sirius gave her a crooked smile. "Thank you. Katie, what happened? Did James upset you?"

Kate shook her head. "Oh, Sirius; I was so angry at Remus after you told me what happened between you tonight that I went to the Tower hoping I'd run into him."

His eyes grew wide. "Did you?"

"I went into your dorm room and told him off," she confessed. "I don't even remember exactly what I said; I just opened my mouth and it all came tumbling out."

Sirius looked at once sad and incredibly touched. "Remus is your friend," he said quietly. "I never expected you to give that up – for me."

It was Kate's turn to look incredulous. "I would choose you over anything else. Remus was your friend, too, and he didn't treat you very well, did he? _I_ know, I _know_," she said, holding up her hand when Sirius started to interrupt her. "You didn't treat him very well, either when you revealed his secret to Snape, but you realized how stupid that was and how much it hurt him. You've done nothing but try to apologize to him, try to make it up to him somehow and he's walked away from you. I can't be a friend to someone who would hurt you that way; someone who would have so little tolerance for a mistake, so little willingness to forgive."

Sirius pulled her to him and held her tightly. "I don't want to be responsible for you losing your friends. I know how that feels and I don't wish it on you – your choice or not."

Kate pulled back until she could see his face. "You're not responsible for that. Sirius, I love you; I'm not going to stand by and watch people hurt you. Your family's done that; even I did that at various points this year and now Remus has decided that he can't see past a moment of poor judgment and remember everything you've done for him. I don't need friends like that, Sirius."

"Katie," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her. Kate's lips parted and he immediately deepened the kiss. When they finally broke for air, Sirius searched Kate's face. "I don't deserve you," he whispered.

Her eyes filled. "You deserve whatever – and whoever – makes you happy. I don't ever want to hear you say that again."

Sirius kissed her again. "_You_ make me happy."

"Kiss me again," Kate whispered. "Please."

Sirius tightened his arms around her and captured her lips once again. He gently took possession of her mouth, using his tongue to explore its depths. Kate moaned softly and entwined his tongue with her own.

"Katie," Sirius murmured, resting his forehead against hers then kissed her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks and then her lips once again.

"Sirius," she breathed against his mouth. "Make love to me."

She felt him start at her words and then he pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes. "Are you certain that you're ready?"

Kate nodded. "Very certain. More certain than I've been of anything in a long while."

Sirius scrutinized her a bit longer. "_Really_ ready or just feeling sorry for me?"

Kate shook her head. "This is too precious for pity; I love you and I want you."

Sirius kissed her again and stood, holding his hands out to her. Kate took them and he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her again. "You can change your mind, you know."

"Never."

He led her to the bed and waited while she made herself comfortable before joining her. Kate lay on her back and Sirius settled next to her on his side. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. Kate turned into him, tangling her fingers in his hair and holding him in place. Sirius broke the kiss and sighed when Kate placed light kisses along his jaw then bit his earlobe gently.

"Katie," he murmured, gently urging her onto her back and lying above her, Sirius kissed her throat, her neck and the soft, warm place where neck and shoulder joined. Kate wriggled beneath him; the feelings shot clear to her center and the effect was overwhelming. He lifted himself up, balancing on his arms. "I want this to be good for you, but – the first time – well, it can be …"

Kate reached up and pushed his hair away from his eyes. "I'm not naïve about the process, love; I love you and I'm not worried." Keeping his gaze, Kate brought her hands between them and slipped them under the bottom of his sweatshirt. He gasped as her hands smoothed upward over his stomach then brushed over his nipples, hard pebbles that proved quite sensitive to her touch. "Take this off," she whispered and he lifted himself up to his knees and pulled the sweatshirt over his head, tossing it on the floor. Kate smiled. "You're gorgeous."

He shook his head. "_You _are." He reached for the hem of her t-shirt and tugged upward. Kate smiled and mirrored his previous actions, then sat before him – a bit self-consciously. Sirius leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, then drifted downward to kiss the tops of her breasts where they rose over the satin cups of her bra. Kate shivered when he brushed the backs of his fingers over the soft fabric.

"May I?" he asked huskily and Kate nodded, closing her eyes as he reached behind her and unhooked the garment and slid it down her arms and off, dropping it on top of her t-shirt. Looking back at her, Sirius shook his head and swallowed audibly. "So beautiful," he breathed then met her eyes. "Lie back, love." Kate lay back against the pillows, pulling him with her.

They both gasped softly at the feeling of their skin touching. Sirius kissed Kate tenderly, then slid down until his face was level with her breasts. "Beautiful," he murmured again, then brought his lips to gently kiss first one dusky pink tip, then the other. As Kate sighed above him, Sirius began to make love to her in earnest, gently kissing then laving each nipple with his tongue until they hardened under his ministrations. When he began to softly suck each in turn, Kate's soft cries came more frequently and she began to shift her hips beneath him. As it had on the beach, Sirius' touch ignited a slow-burning flame deep within her and it was beginning to make her throb with the heat of it.

Sirius shifted slightly in an attempt to alleviate a bit of his own discomfort, however the resulting friction as his sweatpants rubbed against his sensitive erection did little to help. _I want this to be good for her,_ he thought, even as he knew he would not be able to last as long as he would like. With a final kiss to each breast, Sirius pulled away, smiling softly at Kate's cry of protest. He dropped a kiss to her cheek. "It's ok, love; I'm not going anywhere. I just think that maybe we're wearing too many clothes, yeah?"

Kate bit her lip and nodded, her eyes dropping downward shyly. She blushed when she saw the tent that his arousal had created in the front of his sweatpants. Sirius leaned down and kissed her mouth, quietly thrilled to feel her tongue sweep across his lips. He groaned. "See what you _do _to me, Kate?"

"I want you," she whispered back to him, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear. "Now."

They quickly divested themselves of the remainder of their clothing and Kate's eyes grew large as she saw Sirius' arousal. Curiously, she reached out and ran her hand from base to tip, jumping when he groaned loudly at her touch and caught her wrist to pull her hand away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered but Sirius lifted her hand and kissed the palm gently.

"Don't be. It's just that I want you so much and I know I'm not going to last long as it is," he explained, kissing her lips again as he settled on his side next to her. He trailed his fingers gently down her stomach, smiling when he saw the gooseflesh form in their wake. Kate caught her breath when he brushed over the dark auburn curls at the juncture of her thighs.

"Ok?" he asked, withdrawing his hand.

Kate nodded. "Please, I'm just…_please_."

Sirius kissed her again, while gently insinuating a finger between her folds. She gasped into his mouth when he found her nub and began circling it with his thumb. Kate drew his tongue into her mouth and began to suck on it in time with his movements and Sirius moaned at the sensation. He found her opening, slick with her own arousal and inserted one finger gently. It was Kate's turn to moan as he explored her and her hips began to shift rhythmically against the sheets when he added another finger a moment later.

_So hot,_ he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. _So wet_. Sirius opened his eyes and trained them on Kate's face as he began to thrust his fingers in and out of her. His thumb quickened its pace and pressure against her nub and Kate's cries became louder. Suddenly, Sirius felt her clench around his fingers and she opened her eyes wide to look at his face.

"Sirius!"

"I love you, Katie," he whispered, moving between her legs and positioning himself at her entrance. He looked into her eyes, heavily lidded as she began descending from the peak. "Yes?"

She nodded, still feeling the aftershocks of her orgasm. She was dimly aware of him casting what she later realized was a contraceptive spell, kissing her gently afterward. A moment later, Kate sucked in a sharp breath as he entered her. She felt a sharp pain that quickly receded as Sirius held himself still above her to give her time to adjust to him. Kate looked at his face, his expression reflecting both his own deep need and his determination to hold back until she was ready for him to move.

Kate raised her hands to either side of his face and pulled him down to her. "_This _is what I've waited for and you feel _so _good." She kissed his lips gently. "Make love to me."

Sirius looked into her eyes and saw everything he had ever wanted: love, acceptance – _her _love, _her _acceptance. And even though he knew he always had it, there had been enough discord between them in the last year for him to know that he'd risked losing it. And that was one thing he vowed _never _to do again.

"I love you," he whispered and then pulled his hips back slightly and moved forward again, thrusting shallowly at first, trying to give her time to adjust to his movements.

Kate's hips rose to meet each thrust and she moaned softly into his ear. She brought her hand up to stroke the back of his head. "Faster," she whispered, knowing his need was as great or greater than her own.

Sirius lifted his face from her shoulder and looked into her eyes once more. He quickened his thrusts, knowing he was close, knowing that he _needed_ the friction, the heat, the momentum that would carry him over the edge. He couldn't tear his gaze from those eyes and the love he saw in their depths. _This _is what it's meant to be like; _this _is what it means to _make love_ to someone. He saw her lips move, _I love you, Sirius_ and something inside him broke open and he began to cry. His orgasm hit hard then and they both cried out with the depth of it. His body spasmed again and again and he felt Kate tighten around him as she climaxed a second time.

When his body stilled, he buried his face in her neck, gasping softly as his tears began to slow. Sirius felt her stroking his hair as she worked to bring her own breathing under control.

Finally, he lifted his head and placed a lingering kiss on her lips.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly, clearing the moisture from his cheeks before kissing the corner of his mouth.

He nodded. "I should be asking _you _that question, though."

Kate's smile was brilliant. "More than ok. It was wonderful. I'm so glad it was you; it could only ever have been you."

Sirius' eyes filled again. "I've never felt like that before – _ever_. Before, it was … but this - _you _… I don't even know what I'm saying. This is so right, Katie; _we_ are right, yeah?"

Kate nodded, smiling softly. "You're doing fine and yeah, we _are _right." She kissed him gently. "I love you and I never felt that more strongly than when you made love to me."

Sirius kissed her forehead. "It was always sex before. I never knew what it meant to make love to someone until now."

Kate shivered suddenly and Sirius frowned. "Here, let me fix that." He gently slid away from her and grasped the comforter from the foot of the bed and pulled it toward them. He settled next to Kate, head propped up on one arm, his hand playing with a lock of her hair as he looked at her face. "What are you thinking about?"

Kate smiled again. "I was just thinking that perhaps tonight was the first time for _both _of us. It's a lovely thought, isn't it?"

Sirius returned her smile and lowered his head to her shoulder. "It is that." He kissed her shoulder drowsily, then smiled against it. "It could only ever have been you."


	54. In Ashes

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Language, adult situations

Chapter 54 – In Ashes

Kate awoke in surroundings that were at once strange and familiar. The _familiar_ came from the deep "Gryffindor burgundy" of the bed curtains and the comforter that clearly said _Hogwarts_. The _strange_ – although pleasantly so – was the obvious presence of another person under that comforter, another person in whose arms she was firmly held. Kate turned her head and immediately encountered a mass of soft, dark waves, resting on her shoulder. Warm breath blew against her neck at regular intervals as Sirius slept on. Kate dropped a gentle kiss in his hair and closed her eyes, initially intending to sleep for awhile longer. Once she did so, however, memories of the night before flooded her mind. She leaned her cheek against Sirius' head and let them play on, basking in the warmth, tenderness and passion threaded through each and every one. _I never believed it would be like that; I never believed _anything _would or could feel like that. _Kate smiled. Even the little bit of experimentation they had done had not prepared her for last night. And it wasn't just the physical intensity they had experienced; equally stirring was the depth of emotion threaded through every aspect of the act itself. After dozing a bit, they had awakened and made love again and it had been sweeter, more tender than before. Kate sighed and snuggled even closer to the wizard beside her.

"Alright, love?" Sirius' low voice reached her ear.

"Mmm," Kate murmured, kissing his temple. "Go back to sleep."

"'time is it?" he asked, rising up on one elbow to squint over at the clock on the bed table.

Kate turned. "Half-three. It's early yet."

Sirius nodded, leaning down to kiss her tenderly. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Kate smiled and reached up to cup his cheek in her hand, then settled on her side, her position a mirror image of his.

"Hmm," Sirius observed. "It would appear that we're finished sleeping." He leaned forward and traced a finger along the line of Kate's collarbone, over her shoulder and down her arm. "Am I to hope for a return to more … _interesting _activities instead?"

Kate shivered at his touch and leaned toward him to kiss his lips softly. "I was hoping that perhaps we could talk for a bit."

"You want to talk about Remus." Sirius sat up and pushed himself back against the headboard then patted the space next to him. "Come up here, then."

Once Kate had settled next to him, Sirius looked over at her. "Sorry, can't focus if you're sitting there like that." He leaned over the side of the bed to the floor and came up with her t-shirt.

Kate pulled it over her head with a smile and kissed his cheek before settling back against his side again. "Better now?"

"Better for conversing, anyway," he conceded. "So … Remus."

"Are you certain? I mean, I said that I was _hoping _that we could talk, but I completely understand if you can't face it yet," Kate responded. "Really…"

Sirius caught her hand and held it in both of his. "I won't lie, Katie; it hurts to know that it's well and truly over – that we're no longer friends. That said, though, I can't live _here_ for the next two years. I have to face it and figure out what to do now. I can't very well do that if I can't even talk about it all, can I?"

Kate shook her head. "No. No, you can't."

"No, I _can't_. Anyway, I knew when you came back here last night that we'd be having this chat at some point; might as well get it out of the way now."

Kate leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Earlier, when I was in the dormitory …"

"…yelling at Remus," Sirius interjected, nudging her with his shoulder.

Kate pushed back. "I _wasn't _… oh, _alright_ – 'yelling at Remus'. But it was on your behalf, you know."

Sirius squeezed her fingers gently. "I _do _know that, Katie-girl – and I love you for taking up for me. Go on – when you were in the dormitory…," Sirius prompted.

"Near the end, Remus asked me to tell him where you were. He said that there was something that you misunderstood and he wanted to clear it up. He seemed – I don't know – less cold than he's been. He was upset when I wouldn't tell him anything. I told him that he'd already pointed out enough of what he thought were your shortcomings and I wouldn't let him face you with anything else." Kate paused and looked over at Sirius. "But now I wonder if perhaps he was intending to try to make things right."

Sirius shook his head. "You weren't in the library tonight, Katie. You didn't see his face; you didn't hear the things he said to me. Believe me, there's no way Remus Lupin is interested in making things right. I'm a Black, after all and he's been waiting for me to revert to form for five years. Now that I have, he's washed his hands of me – and if there's one thing I've learned about Remus, it's that once he's made up his mind, he doesn't change it."

"What if he does? What if he thinks all of this over and decides to give you another go at an explanation? What will you do?"

Sirius didn't answer her right away, instead sitting quietly, rubbing his thumb over Kate's knuckles as he organized his thoughts. Finally, "First of all, I can't believe that's going to happen. I can't _let _myself believe that's going to happen." He paused again. "And, truth be told, Katie, there's a part of me that's sick of explaining things. At some point, someone has to say, 'enough'. I've now said everything I can think of to say to Remus and it hasn't made one bloody bit of difference to him. If he came to me and said that he was willing to listen to me again, I wouldn't have anything new to tell him about that night. Maybe it's time for me to be the one to say, 'enough'." He looked at her, his expression sad. "What I did to Remus was a terrible betrayal of his trust and our friendship. I know that. Even though it wasn't intentional, it was thoughtless and, in the end, it was still a betrayal. Despite all of that, and even though all of this was my fault, I can't keep crawling back to Remus, begging him to be my friend. I've done _that_, too. I feel like I keep repeating myself – with him, with _you_. I just wish I could make you all understand."

Kate heard the frustration begin to creep into his tone. "I _do _understand and I'm not suggesting that you continue to pursue a resolution – particularly in light of what he said to you tonight. I agree with you: there should be an expiration date on your penance. In the beginning, you spent all of your time trying to catch up with Remus so you could explain yourself. Last night, you _finally_ caught up with him and it was the worst of all possible scenarios you'd imagined. As a result, you've reached the conclusion that your friendship isn't salvageable. All I'm saying is that I might not have been in the library tonight for your confrontation, but _you_ were not in your dorm room when I spoke with Remus, either. You didn't see his face when he asked about you." Kate reached over and turned his face gently until he was looking at her. "He's had time to process all that happened tonight. Based on what I saw, I think there's a strong chance that whatever you said tonight has finally got through to him."

"I don't know, Kate. I'd love to believe that you're right, but I just can't." Sirius saw her take a breath and placed a finger against her lips to silence her. "_I can't_. But I'm also not going to be responsible for driving us all apart. I mean, I _know _that I caused the problem, but Jamie and I are ok now and I'm sure Peter will come around, if only because James has. If Remus lets it happen, I can still be part of the general group without there being friction or people feeling that they have to take sides. I hate this, Katie – and I'll _hate _playing that kind of game for the next two years, but I'm realistic enough to know that it's all I'm going to get from Remus – if I even get that. But I promise you: if Remus comes looking for me and he wants to talk, I'll _listen_ to what he has to say. That's as far as I'll go, though. I'm done with apologizing and begging to be forgiven. _Enough_. Ok?"

"Ok." Kate leaned forward and kissed his lips. "People who love you would never ask you to beg," she said, looking into his eyes. "_Never._ And I love you very much."

"I love you," Sirius whispered, releasing her hand and slipping his arm around her waist. Pulling her with him, he wriggled his way deeper under the covers. "And if we're finished with this conversation, I intend to show you just how much."

Kate entwined her fingers in his hair and smiled. "Actions _do _speak louder than words, you know."

XXXXXXXX

Several hours later, freshly showered and ravenously hungry, Kate and Sirius made their way into the Great Hall for breakfast. Somewhat to Sirius' relief, Lily and James were the only others present, although the knowing smirks soon made the young wizard regret his timing.

"Sleep well?" James asked, pointedly looking at his watch.

Sirius refused to rise to the bait. "Quite well, thanks. It's amazing how much rest can be had without _your _insufferable snoring, Jamie. Really, Lils, don't you find it enormously off-putting?"

Lily smiled. "Actually, no; I don't hear …" her hand paused halfway to the cream pitcher and she closed her eyes. _Damn!_ "That is to say … I mean – oh, do shut _up_, Sirius!"

Her three companions burst out laughing and Lily found that she couldn't help but join in. "Alright, _fine_. Now that you've cheekily pointed out our respective sleeping arrangements, let's push on to other topics, shall we?"

"Gladly," Kate interjected, helping herself to a cheese and mushroom omelet.

"Remus sleeping in this morning, is he?" Sirius asked casually, noting the vacant chair normally occupied by the young werewolf.

"He was gone when I woke up," James replied. "I suspect he's off somewhere, mulling things over. Going to have another chat with him?"

Sirius shook his head. "As I was saying to Katie last night, I've said everything I have to say; I've run out of words to make him listen. I'm not chasing him around anymore, begging forgiveness; I know now that I've no chance of being granted absolution."

"You're going to let your friendship die?" Lily asked, her voice holding a mixture of surprise and regret.

"Remus has no interest in being my friend – something he made most plain last night in the library. I've come to the conclusion that since I'm responsible for all of what's happened, I can hardly force Remus to forgive me, much less resume our friendship. I can't keep running after him; it's demeaning to both of us and serves no purpose. I won't make it difficult for everyone else, though. I told Kate that if Remus goes along with it, I'll hang around with everyone still. It'll keep up appearances, which will reduce the distraction Dumbledore seems to think it caused last term; that can't hurt my case any. Otherwise, it's over, Jamie; I've done all I can – probably too much. Just let it go."

"Ok, mate. I hate it, but … ok," James nodded then turned his attention back to his plate.

"Where is Dumbledore this morning?" Kate asked after a few moments. Sirius put his hand on her knee and gave it a slight squeeze in thanks before withdrawing it again.

"He received an owl shortly after we arrived and he just hurried away," Lily replied, shrugging.

"Something to do with the Ministry, no doubt," James added, pouring himself a second cup of tea.

"And how did you come to that conclusion, Mr. Potter?" Lily asked, annoyed that she might have missed something.

"Ministry owl; Ministry seal on the parchment," James ticked off the reasons on his fingers. "Ergo – Ministry business."

"Wonder if it has anything to do with those rumors your Dad's been hearing about," Sirius looked at his friend.

"We could Floo the house in Brighton and ask him." James was already on his feet, Sirius hot on his heels. Lily and Kate looked at each other and rose, as well.

XXXXXXXX

Ten minutes later, the quartet was kneeling in front of the Gryffindor Common Room fire, talking to Margaret Potter as her head floated above the flames.

"Your father was called to the Ministry about an hour ago, James," she was saying, her expression curious. "Why did you want to speak with him? Did you forget something?"

James shook his head. "No, Mum. I've got everything. I just wanted to speak with Dad. I'll catch up with him later, then. Did he say when he'd be back?"

"He wasn't certain, darling. Why don't you call again later tonight? I'm sure he'll have been long back by then and you can have your chat," Margaret smiled reassuringly at her son.

"Well, that's it, then," James said after his mother ended the call. "Whatever got Dumbledore up to London this morning must also have involved Dad."

"You can't be certain of that, James," Lily said. "It could be a coincidence, after all. Dumbledore could have been called by the Minister on something to do with the Wizengamot, after all."

"Lily's right, James," Kate added. "Your father could have been called in on something completely different."

Sirius sat down on the sofa. "I don't know. For some reason, I think the two are related."

"Well, whatever it is, we won't know anything until you call your father later tonight," Lily reasoned. "In the meantime, I think we should go into London, as planned. It will take our minds off everything."

James and Sirius exchanged a meaningful look. "Yeah, great idea, Lils," Sirius said slowly, his eyes never leaving James' face. "Let's head to Diagon Alley. A little shopping, maybe grab some ice cream at Fortesque's and the time will pass faster."

The girls had totally missed the unspoken exchange between the two wizards. "Lily, let's stop in at Madam Malkin's while we're there. I want to see if they have …" Kate's voice trailed off as she and Lily moved toward the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory.

"Oi, where are you going? I thought we were heading to London," James called.

"I need to get my purse," Lily called over her shoulder. "For the love of Merlin, we're not scheduled to leave for another half hour yet; we won't be gone long!"

Sirius watched the girls up the stone staircase then turned back to his friend. "Are you thinking of paying your father a visit at the Ministry, by any chance?"

James smiled and nodded. "Yeah, and that brilliant girlfriend of yours just presented us with the perfect opportunity. While they're busy in Madam Malkin's place, we can slip away for a bit and see what we can learn. Shouldn't take long; you know how they are when they get inside _that _place."

"What about Remus?" Sirius asked. "Wasn't he included in this trip as well?"

"Yeah," James confirmed. "He knows we're leaving around 11 and it's half-ten now. I reckon he'll be along shortly." James stopped, unsure of how to continue. He decided to just get on with it. "You know, we haven't had a chance to talk about what happened between the two of you last night."

"We spoke at breakfast and besides, Remus must have filled you in," Sirius replied.

"Yeah, but I want to make sure you're ok."

"Thanks, Jamie," Sirius said, gratefully. "Look, you know what happened, and you've probably figured out that I've been better. It will be ok, though."

"You know, Kate really gave Remus the rough side of her tongue, I can tell you that," James commented, smiling. "You've met your match with that one."

Sirius nodded. "That I have." He looked away then back again. "I love her, Jamie and I'm not going to do anything to bollix it up this time."

"Well, mate, good news: I think you've already _done _just about everything you _could_ to bollix it up with Kate," James grinned, ducking as the pillow that Sirius threw at his head sailed past him toward the portrait hole.

"New form of greeting?"

James turned toward the direction of the hoarse voice and was hit softly in the face with the upholstered pillow. "Oi, Remus; totally _unnecessary_, mate!"

Remus glanced in Sirius' direction and their eyes met for a moment before he turned back to James. Sirius was surprised to see what he thought might be a momentary flicker of uncertainty in the werewolf's eyes. _Are you worried I might have turned James against you, Remus? Come now, no matter how badly things have gone between us, you must know I'd never do _that!

"Still on for London, Remus?" James' voice brought Sirius out of his own thoughts.

"Yes, actually; there's a new bookstore I'd like to investigate, if there's time," came the reply that could have been tinged with a small bit of relief.

"Should be. Listen, mate: Dumbledore's been called up to London unexpectedly. A Ministry Owl arrived earlier this morning and he just up and left during breakfast. You remember I told you what my dad said about the MLE getting reports of odd happenings, right? Well, I checked in at the house and Mum said Dad had been called to the Ministry this morning, too. We think," James looked over at Sirius, "they're connected."

Remus nodded. "Could be. So, you're planning a visit to your father's office while we're in London, yes?"

James nodded. "You in?"

"Absolutely. But James, you realize that he might not be able – or willing – to say much to us if there _is _some truth to the rumors he's been hearing," Remus sat next to James on the sofa.

"Yeah, but I've been around him long enough to be able to tell when he's holding something back, so either way, we'll get confirmation."

Sirius spoke up. "And let's not forget that if your father and Dumbledore are together, that's a fair confirmation by itself."

"Let alone anything else that we might see or overhear while we're there," Remus put in, keeping his focus on James. "What did the girls have to say?"

"They don't know what we're up to," James confessed, his voice a bit sheepish. "You know they wouldn't be too happy with us haring off to the Ministry without them – and I think that the three of us are enough of a crowd to be bursting in on Dad, don't you?"

"They'll be all caught up shopping to notice that we've gone and we'll be back long before they do," Sirius added.

"Let's hope, anyway," James rose. "The last thing I need is Lily hexing me; things have been going so well lately, too. Ah…there you are!" This last said in a louder, more cheerful tone that caused Lily to narrow her eyes suspiciously.

"Didn't I tell you we'd …oh, never _mind_! Hello, Remus; coming along to London with us?"

"Lily; yes, I am," Remus smiled at the redhead, his face becoming slightly less relaxed as he turned to Kate. "Good morning, Kate," he said quietly.

"Remus," Kate replied, slipping her hand into Sirius' and standing slightly in front of him. Her voice lacked the warmth she always had when speaking with Remus, but he could detect none of the anger of the previous evening. _Although, standing with Sirius, she's the image of a lioness protecting her cub_, he thought to himself with a pang of sadness. _Lost them both, I have._ He sighed softly.

"I'll just grab my jacket," Remus said. "Be right back."

After Remus had disappeared up the stairs, Sirius leaned down toward Kate. "Are you alright?"

Kate turned to look at him, her expression confused. "Of course; why?"

"You look as if you're prepared for battle on my behalf," Sirius smiled. "And I think Remus more than got the point."

Kate felt herself flush. "I didn't realize what I was doing and I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable – not that he doesn't deserve it, mind."

James chuckled. "I think it's probably a continuation of last night's ticking off. You did send him off with rather a lot to chew on."

Footsteps on the staircase spared Kate the need to reply as Remus entered the Common Room carrying his jacket. Kate looked hard at his expression to see if he could have overheard any of their conversation but Remus appeared to be his usual, placid self. Shaking off her paranoia, Kate walked with the group through the portrait hole and down the staircase to the entrance doors.

XXXXXXXX

On the walk to Hogsmeade – and the Floo connection at The Three Broomsticks – the five friends limited their conversation to neutral topics: O.W.L scores, the new bookshop on Diagon Alley and, as always, the professional Quidditch world. Remus generally stayed with Lily or James, but as the individuals shuffled back and forth between conversations, he eventually found himself trailing James, Lily and Sirius – and walking alongside Kate. The young witch found herself becoming more uncomfortable by the minute; she hated conflict and, even though her loyalties were clearly with Sirius, Kate knew that even _he_ was going to try to resume some semblance of normalcy with the werewolf, as well. Even if it was only on a superficial level, the next two years would be unbearable without the resumption of some type of truce between them.

They walked in silence for awhile, looking anywhere but at each other until Kate could stand it no longer.

"This reminds me of my first trip to Hogsmeade last year," she said quietly.

Remus took a tentative step closer to her. "Our first date. I remember it well."

Kate smiled. "Our _only_ date. Dorcas, after all, would have objected quite strongly I think."

"Hmm; I suspect she might have at that."

They walked along behind the others for a bit before Remus spoke again. "Kate, about last night; I …"

"How did you happen to hear about this new book shop?" Kate didn't want to have that conversation – not here, possibly not _ever_.

Remus, however, would not be deterred. "Kate, please – if you don't want to talk, then could you please just listen?"

Kate shook her head. "I'm not on your side in this. You've hurt Sirius and I …"

Remus carefully put a hand on her arm. "I know where your loyalties lie but surely, just listening to what I have to say won't compromise them. Will it?"

Kate looked ahead to the trio of friends quite a bit ahead of them now. Lily had looked behind her once or twice, but had kept James and Sirius engaged in conversation. Kate wondered abstractly whether or not Lily was purposefully keeping the other two distracted to permit Remus time to speak with her.

"Kate?"

"I'm so angry with you," she said finally. "I'm angry about what happened between you and Sirius. I'm angry because of how much pain he's in because of it. And I'm angry because it isn't just Sirius who's lost you; I've lost you, too." Kate paused, feeling her emotions rise and unwilling to allow him to see anymore than she'd already shown to him.

"I know," Remus responded, sadly. "There is just so much more to all of this than I suspect you know."

"I could easily say the same thing to you. How much of what Sirius said did you actually listen to last night?" Kate asked curiously.

"Not much in the beginning," Remus admitted. "You're not the only person who's been angry, after all."

Kate nodded. "I'd be less than honest with you – and myself – if I said you didn't have a right to be angry with him for what he did. But, Remus, to refuse to forgive him? Ever? To allow that one moment of idiocy – significant as it was – to undo five years of loyalty and caring and friendship? That just doesn't seem fair to me. It feels like you're stubbornly carrying a grudge to punish Sirius for what he did."

He nodded. "I know. As I said, this is much bigger than it appears on its surface."

"For him, too, you know." Kate glanced ahead and confirmed that the others were still deep in conversation. "I'm curious about something. If I had told you where to find Sirius last night, would you have sought him out?"

Remus nodded. "I would have done, yes."

"Why?"

Remus exhaled sharply then walked a few steps ahead of Kate and turned to face her. "Sirius believes that I've never trusted him completely. He thinks that I've been waiting for him to revert to the Black family standard of behavior. Neither of those things is true. In the beginning, I was blind with anger and hurt and I said things that in a more rational frame of mind, I would not have said."

Kate nodded. "So, you _did _listen to him last night."

"Yes, although some of what he said didn't really sink in until much later," Remus' voice was laced with regret.

"Remus, Sirius loves you. Indeed, in many ways, I think you mean more to him even than James does. He's apologized and has begged you to forgive him. If you want to talk about atypical behavior, that's as good an example of it as any: Blacks don't apologize and they certainly don't _beg_ anyone for anything. You've said some incredibly cruel things to him in return, so he believes that there's nothing more he can do or say to prove his contrition or to try to make it up to you. If you've had some sort of epiphany as a result of your confrontation with Sirius, you're going to have to be the one to approach him with it. He's resolved to try to remain in this little group of ours for the next two years – short of seeing it break up as a result, that is. Sirius is resigned to taking whatever role you permit him to have. Humility – another trait not known to apply to Blacks. I'll give you this much – it's not a trait that's been known to that particular Black either – until now, that is. Remus, I'm not sure if you know this or not, but Sirius has been disowned by the Blacks. He had a confrontation with his mother when he first returned to London and it turned very ugly. He left home that night and, to be frank, I'm not certain how he managed to make it to my house, but he did. She used the _Cruciatus_ on him, Remus then burned his name from the family Tapestry. The reason he's here is that Walburga has been trying to reach him; Dumbledore thinks it's safest for him here and we all agreed to come along to keep him company." Kate paused, noting the alarm on Remus' face as his gaze snapped from Kate to the figure of his former friend, far ahead of them now on the path to town.

"I had no idea," he whispered and when he turned to look back at Kate, something in his eyes had changed. The coldness that had taken residence there with the Prank was now gone.

"Remus, I don't know if you intend to try to speak with Sirius again," Kate said softly. "But if what you have to say will hurt him or make him feel any more guilt over what's happened between you, you will have me to deal with; make no mistake about that."

"We should all have a friend so willing to fight for us; so willing to protect us," Remus said gently.

The faint noise of someone yelling caused both to turn toward Hogsmeade where they saw James and Sirius waving and calling to get their attention. Kate waved back before looking over at Remus and inclining her head in the direction of their friends.

"You do," she replied. "Despite what he did last term. He's proved it to you again and again since the day you met. He had a five-minute fuck-up, Remus – without the 5-year lead-in you think he had. He's lost in all of this, too. Sirius lost his best friend and, in your place, he's gained a lifetime of guilt and shame. _I'm _begging you to think about all of _that_ this time." Kate's eyes filled as she spoke.

"I already have," said the werewolf, blinking rapidly to clear his own vision before he looked down at the young witch.

"And?" Kate asked quietly.

James and Sirius strode up to the two, James' expression frankly curious, Sirius' guarded.

With a glance in Kate's direction, Remus stepped toward them.

"Sirius, may I have a word?"

Sirius' eyebrows rose and he stared at Remus silently as he tried to come up with something coherent to say. Seeing his friend's discomfiture, James stepped in.

"Perhaps you two could have a sit down later, yeah? I'd like to see if we could get to London before … before everything shuts down." James looked at Remus' slightly crestfallen expression. "Hate to ask, but …"

Sirius pulled himself together, sparing the barest of looks at James before meeting Remus' eye. "No, James; that's fine … Remus and I can …"

Remus nodded. "… later; of course. Let's get moving before it's too late, then."

With a quick nod, James turned and retraced his steps toward the town, Sirius following a moment later.

"Thank you," Kate said quietly as the two began to walk quickly along the path. "I'm not quite sure what those two are in such a hurry for; London doesn't exactly shut down for tea…"

"Kate, just a moment," Remus reached over and briefly touched her arm. She stopped and looked over at him. "I'm very sorry that the things I've said and done have caused you pain, as well. I hope that _you_ can forgive _me_. I should very much hate to lose your friendship."

"This has such a hard time for all of us, Remus, especially for you and Sirius. I told you once that you'd become my best friend – outside of Sirius, of course – and I meant it," Kate replied quietly. "Despite everything that's happened and all the anger and coldness that's come between us all, I don't think many people are as lucky as I've been to have a friend like you."

"_Oi! Remus! Kate!_" James' impatient voice rang out.

Kate shook her head and grabbed Remus' hand, giving him a tug. "Come on; before he hexes us!"

XXXXXXXX

James, Remus and Sirius left Lily and Kate at Madam Malkin's shop, claiming a need to spend considerable time between several different Quidditch supply shops. In truth, the girls were relieved not to have them lolling about the shop, particularly with things still unresolved between Sirius and Remus. Lily and Kate waved them along and told them they would meet them at Fortescue's a couple of hours later. This gave the young witches ample time to indulge themselves in shops that held no interest for their male companions.

Making their way to the visitor's entrance to the Ministry of Magic – cleverly disguised as a red telephone box on a small street round the back of the Ministry – the three wizards began to feel a surge of disquiet. James had not considered the repercussions that his visit might provoke from his father or his headmaster. As they squeezed into the small space and began to descend below street level, the reality of their quest began to sink in.

"Ah, well," James muttered as they approached the Security Desk, "at least Dumbledore can't take house points from us or give us detention during the holiday."

The three surrendered their wands, accepted individual receipts and provided the reason for their trip as a 'visit with the head of the MLE'. The Security Wizard looked the three over dubiously for a moment, then thrust his chin in the direction of the lifts. "Fourth floor," he growled and the younger wizards made haste to remove themselves.

Fortunately for them, the lifts were not busy and the car in which they found themselves was empty save for a wizard whose nose was inexplicably located – upside down - in the middle of his forehead. His expression was thunderous and he muttered several comments that the boys were sure contained references to his wife's cooking and the fact that if she could cook as well as she could hex, he wouldn't be able to fit into his office. Thankfully, when the lift stopped on the third floor, the man left and the boys gave in to a short huff of laughter before reaching their own floor and sobering once again as they stepped into the hallway.

Harold Potter's office was located at the end of a long corridor and was guarded by his Administrative Witch, Miss Phoebe Broadbent. The witch had been Hal's assistant for many years and had recently celebrated her 95th birthday. She was a tiny witch, with silver/white hair braided and pulled into a tight bun. Despite her size, Miss Broadbent was a force to be reckoned with when it came to restricting access to the Director of the MLE. Fiercely protective of Hal, it was very beneficial to James that her loyalty extended to members of his family as well.

"Good afternoon, Miss Broadbent," James said politely. "Is my father in?"

The elderly witch's bright green eyes turned up at the corners as she greeted the younger Potter warmly.

"Hello to you, Master Potter," she said, looking over the top of her pince-nez at Remus and Sirius, standing slightly behind James. "And you've brought friends, as well. Ah, but your timing is not the best; your father is in an important meeting and I cannot disturb him."

James smiled. "Of course; I know how busy he is – even when he's on holiday, duty calls, eh? Do you think we might take a seat and wait for him for a bit? Only, we've just come in for the afternoon and I'd hate to miss the chance to say hello."

Phoebe glanced at the closed set of mahogany doors behind her. "Well, I've no idea how much longer he will be, of course …"

She was interrupted by the sound of a door sliding along deep carpeting and turned to see not Harold Potter, but Albus Dumbledore stepping through into the reception area.

"Ah, Harold, I see that you have some visitors," the Headmaster said, smiling at the three wizards who had jumped up from their chairs when he appeared.

Hal looked at his son and his two friends curiously. "Hello, Remus; we missed you this summer." Remus smiled while his two companions shuffled a bit nervously. "I can't think why you've come all this way to see me, however."

"Well, Dad – what it _is _…"

"Mr. Potter, we were in London shopping and thought we'd …" Sirius took up the explanation.

Dumbledore held up one hand. "Perhaps we should adjourn to your office once again, Hal – if only to prevent these fine young gentlemen from spinning too outrageous a tale for our benefit."

"Seems advisable, Albus; right this way, boys," Hal smiled at them all as he stepped aside to let them pass. As he passed his father, however, James couldn't help but note the sadness in his eyes – and the fact that his smile did not quite reach them.

Seated around the polished conference table at the far side of the room, Dumbledore folded his hands upon the gleaming surface and looked at Hal. "May I?"

"Of course."

"James, your father has told me of the incidents you – and Sirius - experienced in Brighton with Lucius Malfoy and a group of his friends. Some of your cousins – and their associates were also summering at the beach, I understand," the Headmaster began.

James nodded. "It wasn't pleasant."

"There's an understatement," Sirius interjected.

"I need to take you into our confidence," Dumbledore continued. "The MLE has been receiving disturbing reports of Muggle-baiting for some time now. It has slowly been escalating over the past several months and there are rumors of a new 'Dark wizard' on the rise. Regrettably, the escalation appears to have resulted in the disappearance of a Muggle-born witch and her parents from their home in Woodingdean." He paused, noting the stunned expressions on the three young faces before him. "A young _Hufflepuff_ witch from your year – Anastasia Rivers."

"I know her," Sirius said softly. "She was in Care of Magical Creatures with us – third year."

"Was she the blonde who used to trail around, making calf eyes at you?" James asked, looking off into space and trying to remember exactly whom Dumbledore meant.

"It wasn't _that _bad, Jamie," Sirius admonished. "She was just looking to fit in somewhere. She's a nice girl."

"Do you have any idea where they might be?" Remus wanted to know.

Hal looked directly at the three students. "I took a team over there this morning. There were signs of a struggle, but we didn't find anyone there. No one can remember seeing anything out of the ordinary. Most of the neighbors were a bit fuzzy around the edges when we spoke with them."

"_Obliviated_," Sirius guessed and Hal nodded approvingly.

"So it would appear," he replied. "There was a crude figure painted on the door – a skull with some rune symbols beneath it, but all magical imprints had been wiped from the site."

"So what are you going to do now?" Sirius asked, looking between Dumbledore and Hal. "To find them, I mean."

"We've got a team of Aurors working with Scotland Yard and we're really doing everything we can, Sirius," Hal replied.

"What's Scotland got to do with this?" Sirius asked and James chuckled.

"Muggle police," James answered.

Sirius flushed. "Right."

Remus spoke up. "Do you have any idea who this 'Dark wizard' might be, Sir?" The question was directed to Dumbledore, who glanced at Hal.

"Regrettably, no," Hal responded.

"Dark magic has a deep, seductive power that appeals to those who hold themselves above the rest of our world. Their vanity and thirst for power and prestige compels them to follow a road that is best left untraveled. Someone has embraced the Dark and is – apparently – attempting to gain power over others; this happens from time to time. I am personally acquainted with the last wizard who tried. We must work to ensure that these people – this person – are not successful," Dumbledore said.

"Will _we_ be successful?" Remus asked.

"Good always rises above the Dark, Remus," Dumbledore allowed his gaze to slide over to Sirius before returning to Remus. "_Always._"

The Headmaster rose. "Gentlemen, I believe you have plans in other parts of London this afternoon?"

The three young wizards nodded and rose as well. "Lily and Kate are shopping at Madam Malkin's," Sirius said. "We should probably get back before they come looking for us."

"Believe me when I tell you that it is best not to neglect them," Hal walked them to the door of the office. "They _do _have their ways of making us wish we did not."

Remus, Sirius and James walked out into the reception area to bid goodbye to Phoebe. James turned back to speak to his Dad before they left and saw him very deep in conversation with Dumbledore once again. Hal interrupted himself long enough to walk over and hug his son and waved them into the lift once again.

After re-claiming their wands, the three wizards walked out into the street and began the walk back to meet with Kate and Lily. As they approached Madam Malkin's shop, Sirius leaned over Remus to speak with James.

"Jamie, do you think you can entertain the girls for a bit?"

James looked confused for a moment, and then his face cleared. "Yeah, sure mate."

Sirius nodded his gratitude, then turned to Remus. "Want to have that conversation now?"


	55. Reborn from Fire

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Language, adult situations

Chapter 55 – Reborn From Fire

Remus and Sirius retraced their steps and walked silently through the doors of The Leaky Cauldron. Pausing to allow their eyes to adjust to the cool dimness of the interior, Remus was grateful to note that they appeared to be the only patrons. Nodding to Tom, the proprietor, both young wizards made their way to a booth at the very back of the place, situated in a secluded corner.

Tom appeared at their table with menus, which both declined, ordering a pitcher of butter beer instead. Once he had returned with their beverage and glasses and had withdrawn again, the pair were left on their own.

The silence they had carried into the pub settled around them as they sat, sipping the cold butter beer and looking anywhere but at each other. Finally, true to form, Sirius could stand the silence – and his own escalating nerves – no longer.

"Remus, you wanted to …"

"Sirius, I've had …"

Both stopped and finally looked over at each other. Sirius half-smiled. "Sorry. Impatient as always, aren't I? You asked for a word; you start."

Remus' smile was sad as he nodded and took a deep breath. "You're not always impatient; the past few months have proved that."

"Hmm; well, I might have been. We haven't spent much time together, after all. I'm sorry you couldn't go to James' this summer. Bloody awful timing," Sirius said. At Remus' raised eyebrows, Sirius flushed and stiffened a bit. "Yes, well, of course, the fact that I was there really sealed it for you, I know. I wasn't thinking about – well, let's not …"

Remus reached over and put his hand on Sirius' arm and gripped it tightly until the other wizard looked up at him. "I didn't know you were at James' until I returned to school. I just – you weren't in the compartment with us on the train back to London when James invited me to Brighton. He didn't remember that I would be dealing with the full that week. I had to remind him of it. But you knew; you remembered." He withdrew his hand.

"Of course I remembered," Sirius said, sadly.

"You've always remembered," Remus added.

"Yeah, I have."

"Sirius, what happened with Snape that night?"

Sirius' head snapped up and he searched Remus' face for a sign of the anger or hostility that had not been evident in the softly voiced question. Finding neither, he shook his head. "Thought you weren't interested in the reason."

"I thought so, too. I was wrong."

Sirius sat back and exhaled sharply. "In hindsight, it's all so stupid. I should have known better than to … but I digress. You remember how Snape had been sort of trailing after us back then? Yeah, well, I figured that the only way I'd find out what he was up to was to trail _him_. I followed him onto the grounds that night and that's when I found out he'd seen you leaving the castle every month with James, Peter and I coming along shortly afterward. I'd caught up with him round the corner of the castle that overlooks the Willow, you see and part of me panicked that he really _did _know what happened every month. He didn't. Snape had discovered Ofelia's pregnancy – quite by accident – and had spun quite an intriguing theory of how it had happened. In his mind, I was the father, but you really were the ringleader behind a monthly circle of debauchery that had students leaving the school, traveling to Hogsmeade through the Willow and engaging in all manner of drunken orgies. We supposedly lured Ofelia there, which is when the deed was done in her case. He threatened to reveal all to Dumbledore after which we would surely be expelled."

Remus looked at him in confusion. "But Dumbledore would have known Snape's story to be baseless, Sirius. After all, he knows what happens to me every month. Granted, he doesn't know about the three of _you_…"

Sirius shook his head, feeling himself begin to tremble as he remembered the events of that night – Snape's threats and his own cold fear that he would be forced to return to Grimmauld Place. "That's not it – at least I don't think I thought of the Animagus bit on any kind of conscious level. One afternoon – before I sent him to the Willow - Snape had followed Ofelia to that spare classroom by the library. She was meeting me; I don't even remember what we – _anyway_, as we were leaving, Ofelia caught her robes on a piece of an old chair and ripped a huge gash in them. When Snape saw her – then saw _me_ – he thought that I'd assaulted her in some way. When he found out about the pregnancy, he remembered that afternoon and …"

Remus paled. "…And thought that you'd forced yourself on her."

Sirius nodded, grimly. "_Again_, in his mind, since her pregnancy was too advanced for that to have been the occasion on which she became pregnant in the first place. He told me that he was going to Dumbledore with evidence that Ofelia had been raped … and all he needed was to find that evidence and I'd find myself back in London with my parents. In the event that news of my transgression didn't reach my parents' ears from Dumbledore, Snape planned to make sure Bellatrix, Narcissa, Malfoy and my brother knew so they heard from _someone._"

Remus listened, horrified at the story spilling out of his friend's mouth. As he sat there, the young werewolf had seen the other wizard begin to tremble as his tale progressed and now that he was getting to the crux of the events of that night, Remus was devastated to see the trembling turn to shaking as Sirius fought to retain some semblance of control.

Remus leaned over the table to still the other boy's hands. "Stop for a moment," he said quietly. "Breathe; you're not being sent anywhere. There's no one here who can hurt you."

Sirius looked over at his friend and Remus caught his breath at the pain reflected in his eyes. "Yeah; there _is_." But he shook his head and took a deep breath before resuming his story. "Right. Well, all I could think of was how wrong he was and how we'd all be expelled. Yes, yes – I _know _that Dumbledore would have called Snape a fool for telling a story that could not be true – about _you_, at any rate. That night, all I could see was Dumbledore turning me over to my parents and telling them that I had been expelled. Maybe I thought he'd repeat Snape's story as a cover for you – who knows? I certainly can't remember. All I _can _recall is knowing that I could not go back there. They were already bloody well pissed at me for getting the marriage contract dissolved and they weren't having much luck finding anyone else who would have me. Now, with the idea in her head that I'd _raped _my ex-fiancée– plus some trumped up story of the four of us running wild, drunken orgies in Hogsmeade – my mother would have a field day and there wouldn't be anyone there to stop her." Sirius shook off Remus' hand and buried his face in his own. "I never thought about the wolf; I never thought about _anything _other than proving to Snape that his idea was bollocks. I told him how to get past the Willow and sent him to the tunnel. I never thought of what it would actually _mean _to _you _if you – if the wolf – if _you_ …"

Remus glanced around the pub and found that they were still alone, although Tom was back in his position behind the bar, looking their way every once in awhile as if to assure himself that they hadn't slipped out the door. Quietly, Remus murmured a _Distraction _spell that would cause Tom – and any subsequent arrivals – to avoid their booth until it was discontinued. He reached over and gently pulled Sirius' hands from his face, guiding them to rest on top of the table and once again covering them with his own. Tears flowed unchecked down the other boy's face, slipping from beneath the dark lashes that rested against the pale cheeks. Remus felt his own emotions rise. He knew that whatever bravado Sirius put forth in public about life at Grimmauld Place, it was false; the elder child of Walburga and Orion Black was terrified of his parents – his mother in particular. Based on what Kate had told him that morning, Remus knew that the wizard before him had suffered tremendously – yet again – at his mother's hands. _That_, on top of a friend who had refused to forgive him – refused to even _listen _to him – had obviously proven to be a heavy burden indeed. Remus wondered at Sirius' ability to withstand it all. He was brought back to the present by the feeling of Sirius tugging his hands away once again.

"I'm sorry, Remus," Sirius rubbed his eyes and cheeks free of moisture and his voice, though hoarse, was once again quietly controlled. Remus was again saddened to think how much subterfuge at home had contributed to this uncanny ability to bring himself back under such quick and impressive control. "I wish, more than anything in the world, that I could go back to that night and do things differently. I can't, though and it's been obvious that I can't properly make it up to you, either. So, instead of standing still – stuck between what I want _back _and what I can't have - I decided to move forward. I was going to apologize once more, if you let me but I made a promise to myself that I wasn't going to beg your forgiveness any longer. It's no use…to either of us, and…"

"Stop," Remus said gently. "Sirius, I don't ever _want_ you to beg. _Ever_. I know that if you had been thinking clearly, you wouldn't have done it. If you had been thinking of the wolf and I as one being, you wouldn't have sent Snape anywhere _near _the Willow that night."

Sirius stared at the other wizard, his breath hitching as he tried to make sense of what Remus had just said. "Y-you _do_?"

Remus nodded. "Since that night, I've said things to you that were unfair – no, _worse_ – I've said things that were cruel and untrue. You're _not _like your family and you're wrong to think that I've spent the past 5 years waiting for you to turn on me. When you reminded me of all the things we've been through in our friendship, I realized that – dangerous though it might have been – you've _never _thought of me as 'the wolf'. I've always just been _Remus_. Even though you've seen the wolf, you've always had the uncanny ability to see us as two separate beings. The wolf is the manifestation of a curse; _I _am your friend. You accepted me as I am, acknowledging the wolf, but keeping it separate. I don't even think that my own parents have been able to do that. After we argued in the library – and Ka – well, someone_ else_ explained a few things to me, I found that I had more to think about than my own reaction. I had facts that I could look at somewhat objectively. I realized that I could not cut you out of my life for that which had made you my best friend in the first place. I should have listened to you long before last night."

Sirius protested. "I moved out. I stayed away from all of you. You didn't have the chance to talk to me; I never gave you one."

Remus gave Sirius a rueful smile. "Well, let's just say that when I was called a 'sanctimonious, self-righteous bastard', it wasn't far from the truth. I did get a bit stubborn about getting over my anger and betrayal. Lily suggested that I was getting a little self-pitying and that it wasn't overly attractive." He paused, waiting until Sirius looked up at him again. "The point is that I was so busy thinking about how you'd betrayed me that I let myself go blind to how much you and your friendship have meant to me. How truly _good_ you are. I hurt you because I wanted _you_ to feel what _I _felt. And I did it in the worst way possible by hitting you where you were most vulnerable. I'm so very sorry for all of that. Padfoot, can you forgive me?"

Sirius stared at Remus for some time as his mind finally acknowledged the use of a name he'd never thought to hear again from his friend. He nodded mutely, feeling his emotions rise again. After awhile, Sirius looked across the table and swallowed thickly.

"Remus," he croaked. "Moony, please; does this mean you've forgiven _me_?" _So much for not begging_, he thought as he waited – forcing himself to sit as still as possible while he did so.

Remus nodded, realizing that despite all that he'd said to his friend, he needed to hear these words. "I forgive you, Padfoot."

The whispered, "thank you" was barely audible, but Remus heard it and, through his own tears, was thankful to see the genuine smile that lit up the face of the wizard seated across from him.

"Does this mean you'll move back to the dormitory?" Remus wanted to know, wiping his eyes on his shirtsleeve.

"I never moved out," Sirius confessed, clearing his face with his hands yet again.

"But…" Remus started, dividing the remaining butter beer between them.

"I couldn't have stayed there last night after what had happened in the library, Moony," Sirius took a long drink from his glass. "It just – I needed time."

Remus looked at him sadly. "Earlier, when I told you that there was no one here who could hurt you, you said that there was. You meant me, didn't you?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, but that's all over now. We're ok again, right?"

"Right," Remus agreed, running his fingers along the rim of the glass.

"Don't," Sirius reached over and took the glass from him. "We both said we learned from this whole bloody mess, didn't we? So let's let it go and just move forward now. No more secrets between us; no more hard feelings. We tell each other – all of us – if something's not right or if we're mad as hell. We get it out and get it over with. 'Sorry' doesn't mean much if we don't do that, yeah?"

"Yeah," Remus said, reaching over and snatching his glass from his friend. Draining it in one go, he set the glass back on the table and looked at Sirius thought fully. "With all the Dark things starting to happen, the last thing we can afford to do is start fighting amongst ourselves. Our friendships are too important to throw away. We've got to stick together."

He canceled the distraction charm and signaled to Tom for the check.

Sirius pulled some coins from his pocket. "I've got this."

"No, Padfoot," Remus protested, pulling out his own money.

Sirius leaned over and stilled his hand. "I'll get this. You can buy me ice cream."

Remus smiled. "Deal. But no tricks when we get there. You promise?"

Sirius handed Tom the money and the two wizards stood. Impulsively, Sirius leaned over and pulled Remus into a hug, slapping his back warmly when he was finished. He took a step backward and looked at his friend. "I promise. No tricks. About anything. Ever again."

Remus shook his head. "Never. About anything." He squeezed Sirius' shoulders then gave him a wicked smile. "Now, about that ice cream…"

XXXXXXXX

James, Lily and Kate sat under a colorful umbrella sheltering one of Fortescue's Ice Cream's round outdoor tables. Nerves having dealt a crushing blow to their appetites, the trio sipped tall, icy glasses of sweet tea and watched the street for signs of their other two companions.

"It's been an hour," James said, reaching for Lily's arm and looking at her watch yet again.

"If they'd started hexing each other, we'd have heard about it by now," Lily retorted, gently extricating her arm from James' grasp as his attention had once again shifted to the street. She rolled her eyes and turned to Kate. "Did Remus say anything to you earlier?"

Kate shook her head. "Only what I've already told you. I'm concerned about them both. Last night was not pretty."

James turned to her with a smile. "In the library _or _the dorm."

"Here they come," Lily said, catching sight of the two friends walking down the road. "They're not talking," she added, watching them carefully.

It was true. Remus and Sirius maintained a generous distance between them as they walked down the street toward the ice cream shop. They looked down at the ground as they traveled, one or the other of them glancing up to track their progress from time to time. Kate felt her heart rise to her throat as they drew closer and she could see that both young men looked as if they had gone through a very emotional afternoon.

"Sirius. Remus," James said as the wizards pulled out chairs and settled themselves – Remus between Kate and Lily and Sirius between Kate and James.

"Did you all abandon the idea of having ice cream before heading back to Hogwarts?" Sirius asked James.

"We were waiting for you, mate," James replied, looking from Sirius to Remus.

Remus nodded. "That was considerate of you, Prongs."

He looked over at Sirius, barely concealing his smile. "Don't you think that was considerate of Prongs, Padfoot?"

Sirius nodded. "Indubitably, Moony." He grinned widely then looked round at his friends, all of whom were staring at them with wide eyes and their mouths slightly open. He laughed out loud.

"I don't think this crowd _needs _ice cream, Moony; their faces look frozen already!"

"That's alright, Padfoot," Remus snickered. "We'll eat theirs, too!"

The two began to rise to go inside and place their orders when their friends finally recovered themselves and began talking at once.

"They'd better not think for a minute that we're going to let them get inside that store without…"

"Did he say, '_Padfoot'_?…"

"Sirius! Remus! After everything we've been through with them, they'd better sit right down here and …"

Remus stepped back from the table, caught Sirius' eye and inclined his head toward the open door. "Shall we?"

Sirius smiled and hurried over to meet him. "Oh, let's. This crowd is giving me a right headache!"

"And it's not as if they're even talking to _us_."

"Not a bit. Ah, here we are. After you, Mr. Moony," Sirius stood to one side and gestured to the open door.

"Thank you, Mr. Padfoot. Awfully kind of you," Remus said, walking into the shop.

"My pleasure entirely."

The two wizards entered the ice cream shop with the sound of their friends' babbling voices behind them.

"Hey," Lily said, putting a stop to the cacophony of sound around her. "Where did they go?"

"Must have gone inside without us," Kate said, rising.

"Gits!" James put in, the smile on his face betraying him. "Well, ladies, what are we waiting for? Lily – will you hold the table? I'll bring yours to you."

"You _do _know what this means, don't you?" Kate asked as they crossed the threshold and saw the two ordering rather large bowls of the frozen dessert and laughing at the various ice cream flavors posted on the billboard behind the counter.

James grinned down at her. "We're back."

Kate shook her head. "I was thinking more along the lines of, 'You're back and the Tower is no longer safe for the rest of us'!"

James gave her a look of mock dismay. " 'The _Tower_'? 'No longer _safe_'? Kate, you _wound_ me! I'm sure you really _meant _to say that once again, Hogwarts can look forward to the cleverly entertaining exploits of the Marauders!"

Kate took his arm and began to lead him the short distance to their friends. "James, what I really meant to say was that we need some way of knowing where the four of you are every hour of every day. _That_ way, we know how to _avoid_ the cleverly entertaining exploits of the Marauders!"

"Katie!" Sirius slipped his arm around her waist. "Was that _your _sweet voice raised in heresy? Could you _really_ want to avoid us? I'm sure I must have heard you wrong!"

Kate looked up at him and was very glad to see that although his eyes were still a bit red, there was a happiness shining in them that had been missing for far too long. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek gently. "You heard me correctly – and I'm sure there are _teachers_ who would be very glad for such a handy tool, as well." She released him as the counter witch signaled to Sirius that his order was ready.

"What will you have, love?" Sirius asked, pushing a very large bowl of ice cream to one side. He gestured to his bowl. "One of these, perhaps?"

Kate's eyes widened at the huge collection of multiple scoops of a variety of ice cream flavors, whipped cream and chocolate fudge filling the bowl. She shook her head. "One scoop of Fiendish Fudge in a dish, please."

Sirius shook his head. "Scarcely a mouthful. Are you sure?"

Kate nodded. "I'm watching my figure."

Sirius grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her. "But that's _my _job!"

Kate blushed, accepting her dish from him. "Prat." As she turned to leave, she saw James with Lily's ice cream in hand, heading for the door. "James, let me take that to Lily. You boys will need both hands to carry _those_ back to the table!" She nodded toward dishes identical to the one Sirius had been given.

A short time later, the five friends were seated at their table, Kate and Lily finished with their ice cream and watching in amusement as the three Marauders dug their way through their bowls.

Lily raised an eyebrow as James lifted what appeared to be the head of a chocolate frog onto his spoon. "What _are _you boys eating?"

"It's called, 'A Hippogriff's Dinner'," Sirius replied thickly, attempting to swallow a rather large portion of warm fudge.

"If you actually finish one, they give you a medal," James added, popping the frozen candy into his mouth and chomping happily.

Kate and Lily exchanged looks. "And what does this medal _say_?" Kate wanted to know.

Remus swallowed his mouthful and beamed at them. "It _says_, 'I Ate a Hippogriff's Dinner at Fortescue's Ice Cream'."

Kate turned to Lily. "Rather makes me feel foolish for asking," she commented, wryly.

"Most people can't finish it, you see," Sirius explained. If you do, they give you the medal then they take your picture standing behind your empty bowl. They hang the photo inside the shop. And…they'll give you copies if you want them."

"We'd be happy to autograph a copy for you to hang in your dorm room," James put in.

"No thanks," Lily replied. "I'm queasy enough watching you now; I don't want a photographic reminder."

"Lightweight," Sirius grinned, more than halfway through his bowl. "_Merlin_, but this is good! Petey's going to be mad as hell at us when he finds out we came here without him!"

James stopped, spoon midway to his mouth. "_Peter_! Merlin! He's in for a bigger shock when he gets back here than seeing our picture pinned up on the wall. He's got _no _idea of all that's happened or that we're even back here already."

"Wasn't he going to Wales or some such place to visit family with his mum?" Remus asked. "It didn't sound as if he had much control over his schedule."

James shook his head. "No, it didn't. But perhaps I'll send him an owl later on – just to let him know what's up. He might be worried about coming back in September, thinking that everything would still be the mess that it was in when we left."

"Won't he think that we're sort of boasting that we're all here having fun while he's decidedly _not _enjoying himself?" Sirius wondered. "You know how he gets when he's not included in things. Sort of like a girl, really…_ouch_!" The dark-haired wizard dropped his spoon and rubbed his arm where Kate had pinched it. "No call for _that_, Kate!"

"There was; behave yourself, Mr. Black." Kate said, sternly. "Poor Peter. You shouldn't be mean."

"Here's my vote," Lily said. "I think you should owl Peter and tell him that since he can't physically be here, we wanted to include him as best we could. Give him the highlights of what's happened with you three."

Remus looked over at James, who was just scraping the last of his ice cream from the bottom of the bowl. "Let's get him a copy of our photograph, too. I like James' idea to owl him once we get back to the castle."

Sirius dropped his spoon into his now-empty bowl and sat back in his chair, a blissful smile on his face. "Sure thing, Moony." He looked over at Remus' dish to find that it, too, had been emptied. He stood, groaning as he patted his stomach. "Come on, men; let's collect our medals and have our photo taken for posterity!" The other two wizards rose, grabbed their bowls and marched back into the ice cream shop.

Kate looked over at Lily, who had on arm propped on the table and was resting her cheek in her palm as she watched the boys' progress across the patio. "What?" she asked.

Lily smiled. "I'm trying to figure out _why _it makes me happy that those three lunatics have resolved their differences."

Kate laughed in return. "Could it be the delight of an angst-free August?"

A bright flash from inside the shop distracted Lily from their topic. "Ah; they've apparently been judged successful." No sooner had she spoken than the three boys exited the shop with garishly bright medals pinned to their shirts and duplicate photos clasped in their hands.

"Are we finished here?" Lily asked, rising.

"I suppose we could push on to the book store now," James replied. "Actually, whilst you lot are in the bookstore, perhaps we three could hit the Quidditch shop."

"The Quidditch shop!" Kate exclaimed. "Didn't you have enough time in the shop while Lily and I were at Madam Malkin's?"

Sirius gave James' side a sharp jab with his elbow, speaking loudly to cover James' groaned protest. "You can never have enough time in a Quidditch shop, Katie-girl; I thought I'd convinced you of that, no? And besides, we went before Moony and I had sorted ourselves out. He hasn't had the chance to see all the new gear, yet. Right, Remus?"

"Oh – er – yes; quite right, Padfoot," Remus agreed, feeling heat rise to his cheeks.

"But I thought your whole reason for coming to London was to see this new book store," Lily put in, here green eyes narrowing as she looked at him.

Remus blushed a bit deeper. "Well, um – _yes_, yes, of _course_. I'll just pop into the Quidditch shop with these two for a bit and then I'll join you."

"_Really_, Lily; we haven't had Remus around for the whole of the summer so far. Let a bloke have a little fun, eh?" Sirius finished, taking Remus by the arm and steering him in the opposite direction of the bookstore.

The two witches stood watching as their friends beat a hasty retreat then turned toward the large, elaborate storefront of London's newest bookseller.

"There's something very strange going on with those three," Lily remarked. "Remus Lupin is about as interested in Quidditch as _I _am. It bears watching, I tell you."

"Lily, just relax and enjoy the day. We've had so much stress and anxiety over the past few months; I think we're just conditioned to look for it at every turn. Let them have their fun. Besides, they need to work off all that ice cream!" Kate took her arm and propelled her forward as they mounted the steps of the shop and entered the cool interior.

XXXXXXXX

Much later that afternoon, the five friends stepped out of the Floo at The Three Broomsticks – packages magically reduced in size to fit comfortably into their backpacks. They stepped out into the narrow, cobblestone main street and sighed in relief at the coolness of the air. London might have the attraction of a big city, but Hogsmeade village, with its cool, sunny summer weather, clean fresh air and smaller population was, by far, the students' favorite place to spend the holiday.

The group shuffled along the path back to the castle, reliving the events of their day and relishing the harmony and ease that had been restored to their relationship. As they walked, Kate's glance periodically strayed to Remus and she felt a pang of guilt each time she thought of the previous evening in the dormitory as well as her failure to completely settle their differences earlier in the day. Kate knew she had one more discussion with Remus ahead of her before either of them could completely close the book on all that had happened between them.

Arriving back at the castle, the friends parted to return to their respective dorm rooms to shower and change before dinner. It wouldn't do to present themselves in their current dusty condition, they realized, and planned to meet in the Common room at 6:30 to head to the Great Hall together.

Remus was ready before either of the other two boys and, true to his character, announced quietly that he was going to take a walk before dinner. While James tossed out an amusing comment about the werewolf's need to walk off the ice cream from earlier in the afternoon, both James and Sirius knew that Remus – introvert that he was – needed to process the events of the day before he could move on completely. He accepted James' comment with his usual grin and exited the room.

"You're both obviously alright now," James commented, picking up his shower kit and starting to cross the room.

Sirius smiled. "Yeah, Jamie; we're both ok now."

"Anything in particular I need to know about what happened when you talked?"

"Not a thing. We worked it out. He forgives me."

"Brilliant!"

"Yeah, 'brilliant'!" Sirius grinned, grabbing his towel and shower bag and brushing past James on his way to the bathroom. "Now, you'd best move your sorry arse or I'll be downstairs, eating your share of dinner before you can say, 'Quidditch'!"

XXXXXXXX

Kate was showered and changed well before the agreed-upon time and decided to walk over to the hospital wing for a bit of the sunburn salve Madam Pomfrey kept on hand for students who might tend to overindulgence when the good weather finally came around in the spring. While otherwise the precautions she had taken had been effective, there was a bit of a burn on her nose and Kate wanted to make certain she treated it before it blistered.

While waiting for the school Healer to return with her vial, Kate wandered over to the window overlooking the lake. There, in the distance, she saw Remus seated upon a flat rock, gazing over the water, apparently lost in thought.

"Here you are, Miss Morgan," Poppy said striding briskly toward the young witch, deep purple vial in hand. "Put some on your nose now and once again before bedtime. Make certain it's absorbed completely into the skin. You should be fine tomorrow."

Kate thanked the older woman and, with a final glance through the window, she pocketed the vial and left. Standing in the corridor, Kate glanced at her watch. _It's just 5 now. I should have plenty of time. _With that, she quickly made her way down the staircase and out the front door of the school.

Keeping Remus in her sight, Kate walked down the sloping grounds as quickly as she dared, mindful of the uneven terrain. As she drew closer to her friend, he turned and smiled.

"I should have known you'd hear me coming," Kate said, smiling.

"Enhanced senses; one of the few benefits of my condition," Remus replied gesturing toward the space next to him.

Kate accepted the invitation and sat next to Remus. They were quiet for a few moments before Kate spoke.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I spoke to you last night – and for the things I said this morning," she said softly. "I was very angry."

Remus nodded. "Yes, I caught on to that fairly quickly. Kate, what I was feeling was – _complicated_ – that is, I suppose, the best description. I was angry, too, but …" he sighed, "I don't even know how to describe it to you."

"You don't have to," Kate replied. "I can imagine what a jumble of emotions you were feeling."

Remus nodded. "It's been an awful few months for all of us." He looked over at her bowed head. "I've missed you, Katie; I've missed you very much. I've missed all of you."

Kate raised her head to look at him and saw the emotion she was feeling mirrored on Remus' face, as well. "I've missed you, too," she whispered. "Remus, I'm so happy that you and Sirius have reconciled. You've been such a good friend and you mean so much to me; I want things to be back to normal between us as well."

"So do I."

Kate rose and stood in front of the young wizard. Taking one step forward, she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly, delighted when she felt him do the same in return. After a moment, Kate moved to place a small kiss on his cheek then took a step backward. "We're ok, now?"

Remus nodded. "We're ok, now." He pulled her in for one more quick hug, then released her and stood as well. "We should probably head back to meet the others."

As they moved away from the edge of the lake, Kate impulsively caught Remus' hand and held it tightly as they walked up the hill. She heard him chuckle, even as he squeezed her fingers lightly.

"Aren't you afraid of what your boyfriend might say if he sees us?" Remus asked, smiling down at her.

"Not at all," she replied. "I can handle him."

Remus laughed. "I'll bet so!"

They quickly covered the distance to the castle and, upon walking through the front doors, found their friends standing in the entrance hall. James was the first to notice them.

"Thought you'd ditched us, Moony," he called out, smiling. "And now I can see why!"

Sirius tried to fix an affronted look on his handsome face as he turned to greet the newcomers. "Oi, Moony," he said, walking over to where Remus and Kate stood. "Doesn't look good, this, does it?" with a wink, Sirius gestured to their still-joined hands.

"There might be a good explanation for it, though," Remus smiled mildly.

"Such as?"

"Such as my very good _friend_ and I have just returned from sorting out a few things and are quite happy to be moving on from the process," came the reply.

Sirius' glance shifted to Kate who was smiling broadly. He lifted an eyebrow and she nodded. "Quite happy."

"Would you like to take over now, Padfoot?" Remus asked, extending their linked hands toward him.

Sirius stepped forward and took Kate's hand, squeezing it tightly in his own. "Let's eat; I'm starved!"

As the others looked at him in amusement, Sirius led Kate past them, smiling and calling over his shoulder, "Oh, and Remus? If you don't want the mickey taken out of you at dinner, you might want to wipe your _very good friend's_ lipstick off your cheek."

They were back, indeed.


	56. News From Home & Mischief Plotted

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter.

Chapter 56 – News from Home & Mischief Plotted

With the fissure between them healed, the five friends approached the final month of their holiday with a sense of freedom and camaraderie they'd not felt together for quite some time. Dark forces might well be gathering – might well have touched a classmate – but that was on the outside, _out there_ somewhere beyond the boundaries of a place all felt to be amongst the most secure in the world. Besides, as a result of a casual comment made by Kate, three of the four Marauders now had a project to occupy at least some of their free time. It had begun to take shape late in the night of their first trip to London, after the group had retired to their respective dormitory rooms.

"You know, Padfoot, Kate said something very interesting when we were at Fortescue's place this afternoon," James said, sitting on the edge of his bed and swinging his bare feet back and forth as he grinned at his friend, lying on his stomach on the floor below.

Sirius tossed a magazine he'd been reading to one side and propped his chin on his hand. "Kate often says very interesting things," he grinned up at James. "You'll have to be a bit more specific, mate."

"Mmm. We were talking about how good it was that the Marauders were back to their old selves again and could resume their entertainment of the school."

"The obvious down-side to our reconcilement, Pads," Remus walked into the room from the showers and, grinning at the other two, sat himself down on Sirius' bed to join in the conversation. Deftly avoiding Sirius' inaccurately aimed swat to his leg, he asked, "What are we talking about?"

"Kate thinks that perhaps the student body – and professors – somehow need some magical aid that will tell them where we are at all times so they can avoid our exploits if they so choose," James elaborated.

Sirius snorted. "Fancy anyone wanting to avoid our magically brilliant selves!"

"But there might be some benefit in us knowing where everyone was located, hmm?" James favored his friends with a sly grin and a waggle of his eyebrows.

Sirius sat up suddenly. "We'd never have to worry about Filch and that damned cat of his ever again. There's an appealing thought. But how would we…?"

Remus leaned toward them. "A map; a map of the entire school. The castle, the grounds – everything – right to the borders that surround it!"

James' grin widened. "Brilliant, Moony! We'll take it down to the front gates, and, of course, to the lake; we'll include Hagrid's hut and the edge of the Black Forest."

"Wait a minute!" Sirius interrupted. "The castle, itself is huge. There are corridors and classrooms and underground tunnels that lead off the school grounds. Then, there are the dungeons – some of those hidey-holes are rumored to go straight under the Black Lake and beyond! It'll take ages to map everything out!"

"If we only had the school term to do it in, yes," Remus replied. "But we've got five weeks before the rest of the students return – yes?" At the other boys' nods, he continued. "We'll start with the dungeons – just in case it takes awhile. We already know many of the secret passageways, having made use of them for quite some time now." He paused, returning the grins of his two mates. "The rest we can work on as we can. We should be finished by Christmas if we apply ourselves."

"And just how are we to make this map work?" James wanted to know. He caught Sirius' eye and added, "Do not say 'magic', Pads or I'll come down there and thump you!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Wasn't going to Jamie. In fact, I was going to suggest that we use a more elaborate sort of tracking charm."

James shook his head. "But…"

Sirius turned to Remus, his voice rising slightly in his excitement. "Instead of charming individual students, we'd simply…"

"…charm the school itself," Remus finished, nodding. "I've read about environmental tracking – attributing the tracking principles to a magical footprint or community so that it applies to all within its boundaries. It will certainly solve the problem of graduating students and new arrivals, won't it? I need to do some research, of course…"

"Of course," James and Sirius had chorused, smirking at the young werewolf who had now closed his eyes and was muttering something about Restricted Sections and map keys.

"He's gone," James remarked, inclining his head in Remus' direction.

"Good thing," Sirius noted, following James' glance. "When Remus gets like this, plans somehow start to work!"

As it turned out, Sirius was spot on. Before retiring for the night, Remus had made a few notes on a piece of parchment and, true to form, was up and out of the dorm room the following morning before anyone else had awakened. Upon noting the absence of their friend, Sirius and James exchanged knowing looks and hurriedly dressed for breakfast. Finding Remus absent from the Great Hall as well, the two packed up some rations from the serving dishes, announced to the Headmaster that they were going to find Remus for a 'breakfast picnic' and dashed out as quickly as they'd arrived.

"Oh, stop _twinkling_, for the love of Merlin!" McGonagall huffed at Dumbledore when he simply smiled broadly at the boys and watched them out of the hall rather than agree with her observation that their behavior could use some work.

"They've been far too quiet and sadly at odds with one another for far too long. Allow them to revel in the resolution of their issues, Minerva. Let them enjoy being young and unencumbered," he'd said, turning his attention back to his own plate and pointedly ignoring the brief sputtering from his Deputy Headmistress.

"Good morning, ladies," the Headmaster looked up a few moments later to greet Kate and Lily as they took their seats at the table. "I trust things are well."

"Things are certainly back to normal," Lily acknowledged, pouring herself a cup of coffee and rolling her eyes.

Kate smiled. "We've just run into James and Sirius in the corridor."

"_Been run into_ _by_ _James and Sirius_ is a more accurate statement," Lily briskly stirred cream and sugar into her cup.

Kate winked at the Headmaster. "They were on a search for Remus; something about picnicking and _research_, if you can imagine."

"I'd rather _not_, I think," he replied, smiling. "When it involves the three of them, I find that my imagination can quite run away with itself. We'll all hear about their efforts soon enough, I'd wager."

But he and the two young witches who'd agreed with him were mistaken. The truth of the boys' latest project – at least in specifics - was to remain their secret.

XXXXXXXX

Peter's response to their owl arrived during that first "breakfast/research session" in Remus' favorite spot in the library. The tone of the missive was, by turn, regretful (that he was missing such an unheard of opportunity), resentful (that so much had happened of which he was no part and, as he indicated in no uncertain terms, that no one had thought to contact him until they were well settled back at school), shocked (that the yawning gap that had divided them all last term had been bridged and, from the sounds of things, truly healed) and, finally - resigned (that his mother would not allow him to leave Wales and return to school earlier than planned).

"Bit of a whiner, isn't he?" Sirius asked of no one in particular as James read the response aloud.

"You know Peter; he doesn't have a lot of friends other than the three of us. It's got to be hard for him to know that we're all here while he's stuck visiting family over the summer holiday," Remus reasoned. "I remember how dejected he sounded on the train back to London. I'm sure he's just feeling left out."

"I'll write back to him telling him that he's going to be busy when he comes back," James said, pulling a blank piece of parchment from Remus' pile.

"Doing what?" Sirius asked as he fed the waiting owl bits of scrambled egg.

"'_Doing what?'_" James repeated disdainfully. "Helping us with the map, you big git. Four heads are better than three and all that."

Sirius snorted his disbelief. "Peter? Well, maybe. He could always scurry around the castle looking for hidden passageways we haven't found yet."

"Take it easy on Peter, Sirius," Remus said, looking up from the thick, ancient book of spells he was scouring. "Last term, when we weren't … well, when you were off by yourself, it was Peter who reminded us one morning that the three of us had been fairly intolerant of _you_. He was very much aware of the fact that our intolerance was the reason you'd moved out of the dormitory and had taken to spending much of your time alone."

Sirius blushed upon hearing of Peter's actions and had the good grace to at least take back a bit of what he'd said. "Alright, Moony; I'll agree it was good of him to be fair about my situation last term. Better?"

Remus nodded and looked back down at his book.

"But, you have to admit that we spend a fair amount of time helping Peter with assignments. I don't see him as being capable of taking on a big role in creating this map," Sirius continued, although his tone held none of his previous disdain.

"Perhaps not," James acknowledged, "but we need to give him something that will make him feel like he is. We'll work it out when he gets here. Meanwhile, I've told him that we're working on a project that we need him to help with, so he'd better see if he can't change his mother's mind and get back here at least a little earlier than planned. That should make him feel better." He rolled the parchment tightly and tied it to the owl's leg. Taking one final bit of egg from Sirius, the owl nipped his finger affectionately then flew out of the open window to carry their message to Peter.

"There! I _knew_ I'd seen this spell somewhere before!" Remus leapt to his feet, finger moving rapidly along the ancient parchment before him.

James and Sirius looked at each other and smiled. They recognized the tone.

"What have you got there, Moony?" Sirius asked, coming around the table to peer over the other boy's shoulder.

Remus spared him a glance before returning to the book. "Well, Padfoot, it seems that we _can_, in fact, keep the map from being seen by anyone other than ourselves. As it says here, a magical word or phrase can be keyed into the map once it's been drawn and spelled. Then, only those who know the magical command can access the map. In reverse, there would be a separate magical phrase to 'hide' the contents or to make it appear to be simply a blank piece of parchment once again."

"Sort of like, 'Open Sesame', eh, Remus?" Sirius grinned.

"You've got the idea, but I think we can do better than that," Remus smiled. "Try to think from the perspective of protecting the map if it should be picked up by someone who isn't one of us. It should be a phrase that wouldn't automatically spring to mind; something a little more obscure, wouldn't you say?"

James waggled his eyebrows at his two friends. "Something … _creative_."

"_Something_ momentous and grand that also captures the essence of the Marauders," Sirius intoned, hand over heart.

"And the essence of the map's purpose," Remus added. "It bears thinking about." He glanced over at James. "You have the parchment, correct?" At the other wizard's nod, the werewolf looked over at Sirius. "I think we're ready to begin drawing the map, which means, Sirius, that as you have the best penmanship and drawing skills of all of us, this part of the task will fall to you."

Sirius nodded and took the large and intricately folded map from James. "I'll start straight away."

Remus shook his head. "The map will need to be wiped – made to appear to be blank parchment – as you complete each section. That means that before you can start…"

"…we need to come up with the magical keys – yes?" James interjected.

Remus nodded. "I've also found the spell that will key the map to the school and the grounds." He tapped the ornate hard cover of the book. "This has proved very useful, indeed!"

Sirius handed the map back to Remus. "You've got your book bag with you, Moony; put this in it for me, would you? We'll work on the key phrases today and then I'll take it back."

The boys packed up their belongings and Remus returned the heavy reference book to its shelf in the Restricted Section. They walked through the library silently, each turning over potential phrase keys in their minds. So lost in thought were they that none of them noticed Kate and Lily passing and narrowly avoided a collision.

Lily exclaimed, "I swear, you three are dangerous when simply walking down the hall!"

Kate chuckled. "The only students I know who can look like they're up to no good even when they're coming out of the _library_! Hey…" Kate called out. "Where are you _going_?"

Sirius had grabbed Remus' arm and tugged him back into the library, James hot on their heels.

"What _are _you doing, Padfoot?" Remus' voice held equal measures of curiosity and annoyance.

"Take out the parchment and your wand, Moony," the dark haired wizard replied with a smile. "I believe I've got the first magical key for you. Try this one: 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He paused, waggling his eyebrows for effect.

Remus and James both burst into laughter and Remus withdrew his wand from his pocket. "_Brilliant_, Pads! James?"

The other wizard was grinning broadly. "I think that what I love best about it is that Lily Evans – unbeknownst to her – will _always _have an inadvertent part in all Marauder mischief!"

After another burst of laughter, Remus spread the map out on the table and touched the tip of his wand to the center. He uttered a rather complex series of charms, finishing with, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" There was a shimmer of magic over the map, and the three watched as it slowly dropped until it covered the entire parchment, glowed brightly for a moment then vanished.

"I do believe that I might have the one to clear it," James smiled. He stepped forward and whispered to Remus, who laughed aloud once more and again fixed his wand to the middle of the parchment. After another round of quiet charm casting, Remus caught the eye of his friends and, grinning widely announced, "Mischief managed!" Again the magical footprint appeared and sealed itself to the map, disappearing after just a moment.

"Let's test it," Sirius said. "Remus, have you got your quill and ink with you?"

Moments later, Sirius was seated at the table, Remus' quill loaded with the dark brown ink he favored. After a minute or two of thought, Sirius began writing in large, sweeping script, the other two chuckling as they watched over his shoulder. "There!" Sirius finished the final letter with a flourish. "Shall we?"

Remus placed the tip of his wand on the parchment and said, clearly, "Mischief managed." Immediately, Sirius' neat handwriting began to disappear from view.

"Brilliant!" James' hushed voice still conveyed his triumph at their success. "Now, the other one."

Sirius extended his wand and placed it as Remus' had done moments before. With a smile at his two friends, he intoned, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" The words began to appear,

"_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, _

_Are proud to present:_

_The Marauders Map__"_

"Gentlemen, _we have done it_!" James breathed, slapping the other two on their backs. "Moony, you are _brilliant!"_

"Well, we've done the first part of it," Remus blushed furiously at James' words. "Now, for the small task of documenting every nook and cranny, every secret passageway of the castle and grounds. _That _will be the 'brilliant' part of it all"

Sirius folded the map and handed it back to Remus. "For safekeeping," he said. "I'm guessing that the girls will _not _know about this," looking around at the other two, he took in their nodding heads before continuing, "There will be a lot of late-night prowling required to get this completed. Jamie, your cloak is going to get a _lot _of use."

James nodded. "We tell _no one_ about this; it belongs to us four."

Remus packed up his book bag, securing the leather buckles tightly. As he swung the strap over his shoulder, he looked at his two friends. "Let's drop this off in the dorm and go meet the girls. They wanted to spend the day by the lake and we've already missed part of the morning."

XXXXXXXX

Curious about the boys' secretive behavior, Lily and Kate tried every tactic they knew – short of _Legilimens_ and Veritaserum to discover what they were up to. After a solid week of gaining absolutely no ground, they both gave up the campaign, resolving to employ stealth to secure the knowledge they lacked.

For their part, the three young wizards devised a method by which they could individually explore and make notes of various areas of the castle. This helped keep down the curiosity levels of the two Gryffindor witches, while giving each of the boys an opportunity to spend time with their respective "significant others." An owl from Peter, received at the end of the week, helped as well. His mother had agreed to allow him to return early – only one week early – but, as Peter said in his message, at least it was _something_.

One afternoon, not long after the three wizards had begun sleuthing their way around the castle, Kate happened upon Sirius as she came out of the library. The young wizard's back was to her and, as she grew closer, she could hear him muttering to himself.

"First sign of madness, that," Kate teased, smiling as she saw Sirius jump at the sound of her voice. He turned, folding what appeared to be a large piece of parchment, twin spots of color dotting his cheeks as he did so.

"Standing alone in corridors?" He managed, tucking the parchment into a back pocket of his jeans.

"Partially. I was actually referring to talking to yourself," Kate linked her arm with his, glancing over their shoulders to where the parchment peeked out from his back pocket.

"Katie-girl, if you want to ogle my arse, I'd be happy to walk in front of you to make the job easier." Sirius was once again in full command of himself, now that the map was cleared and hidden from view, as well.

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind, thanks. What _is _on that parchment that you're determined not to let me see?"

"It's blank," Sirius replied. "I just found it."

"In the corridor…" Kate's voice was skeptical.

_Stick as close to the truth as you can, Black_. "Library, actually. Lucky find, that. Now that I've been disowned and all, it'll come in handy when term starts again, I expect." _There, that wasn't too bad._

"So, you're relegated to searching for bits of abandoned parchment now, eh? What's next? Plucking feathers from owls to use for quills?"

"Not a bad idea. They sleep during the day, don't they?"

Kate slapped his arm lightly and Sirius chuckled. They walked along toward the staircase in silence for a moment before Kate tugged on his arm to make him stop.

"Sirius, really; I've never thought of it before, but – I don't really know how to ask -," Kate stumbled over her words a bit before taking a breath and continuing, "If your family has disowned you, how _are _you going to pay for things? How will you continue at Hogwarts?"

Sirius smiled and kissed her cheek. "My parents have pre-paid for our education – mine and Regulus'; they did it when we each received our letters. So, there's no danger of me being chucked out of Hogwarts because I can't afford the tuition! I have a bit of money given to me over the years for birthdays and the like. It's in a vault at Gringott's – in my own name, thanks very much. It's not a fortune, by any account, but it will see me through the rest of my time here."

"And afterward? When we're finished school? Where will you go then?" Kate's teeth began to worry her bottom lip as she thought about Sirius without a home to return to.

"I'll figure something out, Katie; no need to look so nervous. I can always stay with James and his family for a bit until I get sorted out, but I'll bet that I won't have to. It'll work out; I promise. Now, stop biting that lovely lower lip. I quite like it whole and undamaged." Sirius smiled again and leaned toward Kate, kissing the side of her mouth, then moving to capture her lips with his when she finally did as he asked. "There; now I've kissed it better. No more torturing it with worries about _me_, yes?"

Kate nodded, giving him a brief kiss in return. As they began walking again, she spoke. "Have you thought about what you'd like to do after you finish school?"

Sirius thought for a moment. "I have. I think I'd like to go into the Auror program; catch Dark wizards and so forth. It's part of the MLE and Jamie's dad is head of that department. It'll be the complete opposite of everything the Black family stands for, which suits me just fine and, if things are really heading in the direction they seem to be, the Ministry will need all the Dark wizard catchers they can get!"

"Dangerous work," Kate commented.

"I s'pose," Sirius agreed. "Especially if the Dark wizards I catch turn out to be my relatives!" He punctuated his words with a wide grin when Kate looked up at him. She shook her head.

"What about you, Katie? Figured out what kind of grand career you'll be after once we leave these hallowed halls?"

"I have, as well. Lily and I were just discussing it last night."

"Teachers, no doubt," Sirius guessed as they approached the Portrait that guarded the entrance to Gryffindor tower. "The two of you can generally be found with your noses in books. Makes sense to me."

"Pygmy Puffs," Kate said and watched the Portrait swing inward. Stepping into the common room, Kate waited for Sirius to follow her.

"Not a teacher," she said.

"No? So to what great positions to you and Miss Evans aspire?" Sirius smiled as he started to walk past her.

"Aurors."

Sirius turned and walked back to where Kate stood. "Aurors."

"Aurors."

"Dangerous work," Sirius said, eyes narrowed.

"I s'pose," Kate said, folding her arms across her chest, mirroring his position and tossing _his _previous words back at him. "But, don't worry; we'll let _you _arrest any of your relatives we come across. Unless there is a fair number of them and then Lily and I will certainly rally 'round to help." She reached out and patted his cheek, but Sirius caught her hand and held it tightly.

"Don't joke about them, Kate," he said, his blue eyes searching her face. "They _are _dangerous people and I don't want you anywhere near them! You don't realize …"

Kate placed her free hand against his cheek, alarmed at how quickly their banter had caused his mood to spiral into something close to panic. "Sirius, it's alright; we're just talking. Nothing is going to happen for a very long time. I'm sorry I upset you by teasing; I haven't forgotten for one moment what they're capable of. I _know _how dangerous they are. I _saw _what was done to you this summer, didn't I?"

Sirius nodded and pulled Kate into a hug, which she returned, rubbing his back. "Ok?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I just had this image of you going up against dear old Walburga and it wasn't pretty," Sirius said, leaning back to see Kate's face.

"Mmm. Well, I'm not saying that I'm _going _to do anything, but don't think for a moment I wouldn't love to give her a taste of her own medicine after what she did to you," Kate said quietly. She was relieved to see Sirius smile.

"Such a Gryffindor," he said. "You'll make a great Auror, much as I hate to think about you actually putting yourself in danger."

"I think you'll be pretty good at it yourself," Kate said, leaning up and kissing him. "But it's nothing either of us has to face in the near future, is it?"

"I hope not," Sirius said, pressing his lips to hers to silence the question he saw on her face. _I'm not going to think about what happened when we saw Mr. Potter in London_, he thought to himself, resolutely pushing that memory to the back of his mind.

"Hey, you two – we've been looking all over the place for you," James' voice boomed from the direction of the dormitory stairs. "Oh, for the love of Merlin – get a _room_, would you?"

Sirius pulled back from the kiss and winked at Kate. "Not a bad idea, that," he whispered. "Would you like to join me in the Room of Requirement tonight, Miss Morgan?"

Kate saw the fire burning in his eyes and knew he could see the same emotion in hers. "Absolutely," she whispered.

With a final, brief kiss, Sirius released Kate and turned to face his friend. "And why have you been searching for us, Mr. Potter?"

"Kate has had an owl," Lily put in, coming around from behind James, rolled parchment in hand. She walked over to where Kate stood and handed her the message.

Kate smirked at her friend. "And just what were _you _doing in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, Lily?"

While the flush in her cheeks betrayed her words, Lily waved her hand dismissively. "Studying," she said, returning to stand beside James.

Kate laughed with the others as she opened the scroll. Her eyes scanned the parchment once, then widened as she did so again. "I don't _believe_ it!"

Sirius turned to her, his concern obvious. "Kate?"

Kate looked up at her three friends, her expression incredulous. "My mother has just gotten _married_!"

James looked around at his friends before speaking. "But, that's a good thing, right? I mean – you know the bloke, right?"

Kate shook her head. "No. She just started seeing him; a friend of hers introduced them. They're all together in Geneva at the moment; helping him organize for a move to London. That's why I was able to go to Brighton with … I just can't _believe_ she up and _married_ him!"

"Do you mind?" Sirius reached for the parchment. Kate gave it to him and stood by while he read the contents aloud.

'_Darling,_

_I have wonderful news to share with you and cannot wait until I come home to do so. __Thomas__ and I were married last evening in an intimate ceremony with __Melanie and Geoffrey__ as our witnesses! Oh, Kate, Thomas is wonderful; I know that you will grow to love him once you have the chance to spend time with him. We are going to travel for a bit, as you are in school and won't be home again until the Christmas holiday. But don't worry, darling; we will be home in time to dress it all up for you before you arrive! _

_Oh, Kate, I know that you may be feeling that this has happened far too quickly and that I've acted impulsively. I can only remind you of your own words to me when we spoke of Sirius and _your_ feelings for _him_, "Sometimes it doesn't matter how long you've known someone; when it's right, you just know it." _

Here, Sirius paused briefly and looked over at Kate, his eyebrows raised and a small smile on his face.

"Go on, Pads," James interjected, shaking his head at his friend.

"Not much more here," Sirius replied. "She loves Kate and will owl again soon." He rolled the parchment carefully and handed it back to her.

"I should send a reply," Kate said, turning toward the stairs to the girls' dormitory. "She'll just worry if she doesn't hear from me; no point in that. I'll just get some parchment and a quill and be right back."

"I'll go with you," Sirius said quickly, looking over at James and Lily. "We'll catch up with the two of you – and Moony – at dinner later."

XXXXXXXX

As they walked to the Owlry, Sirius was respectful of Kate's silence, understanding that her natural introvert was processing the news she had just received. The young woman was clearly lost in thought as she made her way along the path to the ancient stone building.

Once they arrived, Kate dropped down on the stone steps that led to the birds' nesting area, and began to write her response. Several false starts and vanishing spells later, she had composed what she felt was a satisfactory congratulatory response. "This will have to do," Kate murmured as she rose and climbed the remaining steps.

"Got one," Sirius said, coming toward her with a tawny school owl on his arm. "Oi, you," he said to the bird. "Watch the claws!"

The owl hooted back at him before fixing Kate with its golden gaze and, after scrutinizing her for a moment or two, finally stuck out its leg and allowed her to fasten the note to it. "Go on, then," she said and seconds later, she and Sirius were watching the owl soar into the sky. "Well, that's over and done with," Kate said when the owl was nothing more than a dark speck in the distance. She turned to find Sirius watching her curiously.

"What?"

"C'mon; let's get out of here. I can't stand the smell," Sirius said, his nose wrinkling.

Once they were on their way back to the castle, Sirius spoke. "So, your Mum's married again."

"I think that's been established," Kate said wryly. She squeezed his fingers when he reached over to catch her hand. "I just can't quite believe it."

"Don't you like him?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know him. _She _hasn't known him very long!"

"Well, her friend introduced them, right? Do you like her friend?"

Kate thought about Melanie Hanscombe and the many kindnesses she had shown to her mother. The woman seemed to genuinely care about Felicity and had been her friend for many years. Did she like her?

"I do. She's a kind woman; very sweet. She's always loved my mother like a sister," Kate replied. "And, this man is her brother, so how bad could it be?"

Sirius smiled. "Right, then. So, what's this bloke's name?"

"Thomas O'Hanlon."

Sirius' smile faded a bit as the name registered. He was sure he'd heard it before; something unpleasant flitted through his brain, but too quickly for him to grasp it – to examine it.

"What is it?" Kate was watching his face intently and he struggled to restore his former expression.

"O'Hara?"

"O'_Hanlon_," Kate clarified. "Do you know him?"

"O'Hanlon?" Sirius said, not quite meeting her eyes. "I thought it sounded familiar for a moment, but I guess not." _I might not be able to place him now, but I'll do some digging. _"So, that's sorted. Let's hurry back. I'm starving and the sooner we finish dinner, the quicker I can get to my date." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "Race you!" And he was off.

Kate laughed and hurried after him, the shock of her mother's message pushed to the back of her mind as she remembered what the evening held in store.


	57. A Gathering Darkness

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 57 – A Gathering Darkness

July passed into August and soon there were only two weeks remaining until the commencement of the new school term. Hogwarts letters were duly sent and Lily and Remus were both stunned to find that their respective missives included Prefect badges. After the good-natured teasing had been exhausted, the pair was left to quietly ponder how either of them could hope to control the pranks and hi-jinks of James, Sirius and – less pervasively, Peter. After everything the group had endured over the past months, Remus hoped that he would not be fulfilling his responsibilities at the cost of his friendships. After one visit to Diagon Alley revealed that students were beginning to travel to London to purchase books and other school necessities, the five friends restricted their off-campus excursions to Hogsmeade Village – or Muggle London. "_Bloody_ ickle firsties," James had muttered after the second awestruck eleven year-old had walked right into him, having chosen to focus on the sights of Diagon Alley instead of where he was going. Between his shin – sore from the accidental kick of the boy – and his arm, sore from Lily's pinch at his 'unkind comment', James' patience was truly at an end. Deciding that they all needed rescue from the congestion of the wizard merchant area, Remus suggested a quick detour to Muggle London – and the cinema, a diversion with which he and Lily were particularly familiar. Everyone heartily agreed, good humor was restored and the friends soon found themselves sitting in the cool darkness of a theater otherwise empty in the early weekday afternoon. Munching popcorn and sipping fizzy drinks, the five magical people soon found themselves lost in the altogether amazing "magic" of Muggle movies – specifically, "Murder by Death", a comedy by American playwright Neil Simon. As they were the only patrons at this particular showing, their raucous laughter, loud commentary and guess-work about the plot disturbed no one and all were sorely disappointed when the end credits appeared.

Stepping out into the street, they squinted as the bright sunlight flooded their eyes. "Fancy a snack?" Sirius asked the others as he looked up and down the street for a likely spot. Kate slipped her arm through his. "I would love an ice cream. Do you think enough time has passed for the new first years to have gotten their supplies and left the Alley?"

Lily nodded and smiled, grabbing James' hand. "Pity you three didn't wear your medals today!"

Still chuckling over favorite lines from the movie – and with the boys loudly contemplating taking another run at the massive ice cream treat – the group reached The Leaky Cauldron in record time. James tapped the bricks in the wall leading to Diagon Alley and the group stepped through the resulting archway.

"Stop it!"

"Get away!"

"Leave him alone!"

The five friends turned in the direction of the voices and saw a ring of students – most of them apparent first years – gathered at the edge of the wall. James and Sirius moved quickly and were soon pushing through the group of spectators to find Bellatrix Black standing over an obviously terrified boy with her wand aimed directly at his chest.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Sirius said quietly, raising his hand and deftly catching Bellatrix' wand as it flew toward him. The young boy took advantage of the distraction and leapt to his feet, running full tilt down the alley and away from the scene, followed by most of the watching crowd.

The witch spun around, her eyes widening as she identified the wizard who had disarmed her. Glaring at her cousin, Bellatrix approached him slowly. "I'll have that back, if you please." When Sirius merely stood silently, she narrowed her gaze and thrust out her hand. "_Now_!"

Sirius shook his head slightly. "I think not – at least until I'm certain you won't be picking on any more 11 year olds. _Really_, Bella, is there no one for you to play with but the first-years?"

Bella's eyes narrowed. "The little Mudblood had a _wand_ …"

"And no conscious idea of what to do with it," Kate interjected.

"Maybe they shouldn't have given it to him," Bella sneered, looking the young witch up and down. "_Maybe_ he shouldn't be attending a _wizarding _school!"

Sirius stepped between Kate and his cousin. "Enough. Why don't you run along and find the rest of your friends, Bella? I'm sure they're down Knockturn Alley where you undoubtedly left them."

"Awfully cocky for someone who hasn't a _home _or a _family_ any longer," Bella smirked, her gaze still fixed on Kate, "someone who's consorting with _blood traitors_."

Sirius' hand started toward his wand but the feel of Kate's hand on his back made him stop. Bellatrix didn't miss his intent and she laughed derisively. "Good decision, that; you'd never best _me_ in a duel, boy!"

"Awfully cocky for someone who hasn't a _wand_," Sirius shot back, twirling hers between his fingers. "We'll leave your challenge for another day, then, shall we? In the meantime, I'll just hang onto this until all the little ones have got clear of Diagon Alley. Oh, don't worry; I'll send it home to you all nice and clean." He maintained a cool smirk in the face of his cousin's dark fury, finally turning to his friends. "Come on, you lot. Let's get that ice cream."

"You'd do well to watch your back, _cousin_," Bellatrix spat as the group started to walk away.

Sirius turned and again displayed Bellatrix' wand. "And why might that be, Bella? You're still forgetting the fact that you're unarmed at the moment, after all – and I'm really not very much afraid of you – wand or no wand – or Malfoy, _or_, for that matter, the LeStranges."

"Perhaps you _should _be afraid, Sirius – _very_ afraid." The dark-haired witch shifted her glance toward Kate. "Particularly given your choice in … _lovers_, is it?" As Sirius drew a sharp breath to respond, Bellatrix beat him to it. "No matter. _The Daily Prophet _is a deplorable rag, but sometimes it gets things right. You'd do well to pay attention to recent headlines. History _does _have a way of repeating itself, after all." She looked over at Kate, adding, "Just ask _her_."

Sirius looked sharply at Kate, whose face had gone quite pale. She glanced at him and shook her head. _I've put off this conversation for the better part of a year. I'm not even certain how or where to begin with it now…now that all of the drama of the past year has finally been resolved between us. _

"Blather on to someone who cares, Bella," Sirius advised, glancing down at her wand in his hand and grinning suddenly. Walking toward the now-solid, hidden entrance to the alley, Sirius drew his own wand and tapped the familiar pattern on the bricks, looking briefly toward Bellatrix as the opening again appeared. Without hesitation, he reeled back and threw her wand with all his might, listening as it skittered along the grimy alleyway that ran behind the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius tapped each side of the entrance briefly and watched the wall re-seal itself before turning back toward the open street and his friends.

"You should probably go and look for your wand before some Muggle finds it and carts it away," the dark-haired wizard remarked casually as he passed his cousin.

Bellatrix, frozen by fury, recovered herself only after the group of friends had begun to cross the alley toward Fortescue's. "You'll pay for that, you _ingrate_! You have _no _idea who you've provoked; _no _idea of what we can _do_!"

A movement to their left caught Sirius' attention and he recognized the LeStrange brothers, Lucius and Narcissa exiting Knockturn Alley at the sound of the other witch's ranting. Moving swiftly, they joined Bellatrix and were soon passing through the hidden entrance in search of the missing wand.

XXXXXXXX

"That might not turn out to be one of your brighter moves," Lily admonished when the group had settled down at a table to enjoy their ice cream. "She's not apt to forget that you sent her wand scuttling along a dark alley."

Sirius swallowed a large spoonful of ice cream before replying, "Dark magic. Dark alley. Seemed a good idea at the time." He shrugged. "Besides, I'm never going back to that house and Dumbledore won't let her do anything to me at school, so it doesn't seem like I'll suffer too badly for it." Childish laughter from further along the street interrupted them and Sirius looked over to see a small knot of first-years coming round a corner with their parents. He nodded grimly when he noted that the young boy Bella had cornered was among them. He looked back at his friends. "What was I supposed to do? Let her hex him?"

Lily shook her head. "Of course not; that's not what I meant. I just…"

"Sorry to interrupt, Lils; we're about to have visitors," Remus said quietly.

The others looked up to see the young boy approaching their table, his parents in tow. They all came to a stop next to Sirius' chair.

"Excuse me," the man said, extending his hand toward Sirius. "I'm Edgar Bones, this is my wife, Diana and I believe you've already met our son, Ted."

Sirius shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Bones and smiled at the young boy. "All right there, Ted?"

The boy nodded, shyly, seeming to have lost a bit of his bravado during the walk over.

"Ted told us about what happened earlier and when he pointed you out to us I wanted to come over and thank you for intervening on his behalf," Mr. Bones' voice was quiet, but sincere. As he spoke, he glanced round the table and his gaze fell on James. "You're Hal Potter's boy, James - aren't you?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes, sir," James replied, standing as he reached across the table to shake the man's hand. "We've met a few times when I've gone to Dad's office."

Mr. Bones nodded, motioning him to sit down. "Indeed. My investigation firm often has business with the MLE division and, of course, my sister Amelia works for your father so our paths cross quite frequently." He paused, looking down at his son, who was gazing longingly at the interior of Fortescue's. "Teddy, if you lean any further toward that front door, you're going to pitch forward and land on your nose! Diana, I don't think it will spoil anything if he has some ice cream, do you?"

Mrs. Bones shook her head then smiled at the young people gathered round the table. "Not a bit. It was lovely meeting all of you and Sirius, thank you once again. Come along, Ted!" Shy no longer when faced with the prospect of Fortescue's ice cream, Ted needed no further urging and the two moved swiftly toward the shop.

"If I may?" Mr. Bones gestured toward a space next to Sirius and at his nod, dragged a chair over from an adjoining table and sat down. "I wonder if you might be able to tell me anything about the witch who accosted Ted. Perhaps you know her from school?"

Sirius glanced around at his friends before meeting Mr. Bones' gaze. "Her name is Bellatrix Black. And before you ask, sir, I will tell you that technically, we are related."

Mr. Bones raised one eyebrow. "'_Technically'_", he repeated.

"She's my cousin, but I have cut ties with my family," Sirius' tone and gaze were frank as he looked at the older man.

"You've…"

"Let's just say that we don't share the same philosophies," Sirius sat back in his chair and folded his arms.

"The Blacks are well known; they are a very ancient family," Edgar observed quietly.

"With very ancient views," Sirius added. "Look, the family motto of _Toujours Pur_ isn't taken lightly. They don't believe Muggle-born belong in our world. Bellatrix has embraced the family motto with enthusiasm – as she displayed today with your son. He was lucky we happened along. Bellatrix isn't known for her compassion."

"Are her friends?"

Sirius looked at him sharply and Edgar returned the stare. "You are aware of the violence against Muggles and Muggle-born, are you not?" This time, the investigator turned his eye toward the rest of the group. "My firm has been approached by some of the families of Muggle-born who have been victims. They are frightened, but not all of them are willing to walk away without trying to learn more."

The students exchanged glances. "The Ministry isn't able to tell them what they want to know?" Kate asked.

Edgar shook his head. "No, things are being held rather close to the vest at the moment."

"This has something to do with those 'dark wizard' rumors going round, doesn't it?" James saw an opportunity to learn more about what his father and Dumbledore had been referring to that day in London.

"How much have you heard?"

"Enough to know it's more than just a rumor," Sirius responded. "We read the Prophet - and a Muggle-born girl from our year – and her family – have disappeared."

"The Rivers family, yes; the Ministry hasn't made much progress in that particular disappearance," Edgar's face reflected his sadness.

"And you think Sirius' cousin and her friends are somehow involved in the Rivers' disappearance?" Lily asked.

"They have been … seen in the company of some questionable individuals…yes," Edgar spoke carefully. "I really can't say anything about the Ministry's suspicions in this, but my own _unofficial_ investigations seem to indicate that their families have – at a minimum – begun to keep company with those who may be taking the Pureblood beliefs to a new level. Today, when my son was attacked, he heard the word 'Mudblood' for the first time. I'm not naïve enough to think that this is the last time he'll hear it, with all the disappearances and the attacks happening in our world. I was hopeful that having him at Hogwarts might extend him some degree of protection."

"Dumbledore won't stand for students being attacked at school. I'm sure the Head Boy and Girl as well as the Prefects from all Houses will be on the alert for anyone causing harm to any student," Lily reasoned. "We can certainly tell him about what happened to Ted so he's aware of the need to keep a particular eye on Bellatrix and her crowd."

Edgar gave her a small smile, but shook his head. "Thank you, but I shall be sending him an owl later today. Perhaps I could mention that you were all witnesses to what occurred in the event he has particular questions?"

All five students nodded in agreement and Edgar looked at them somberly for a moment. "Thank you again for helping Ted. He has two younger sisters who will receive their letters in the next few years. I hope that all of this unpleasantness is well behind us by that time." He rose and returned the chair to its previous location, just in time to see his wife and son emerge from the ice cream shop. "I must be going. I hope to see you all again."

After the older man had moved away from their table, Sirius pushed his bowl of now-melted ice cream to one side and leaned toward his friends. "What do you know about that bloke, Jamie?"

James smiled. "My dad thinks quite a lot of him; says he's damned good at what he does. Of course, Dad _also _says that it's easier to move around and conduct a 'proper investigation' without the Ministry breathing down your neck at every turn. He told me that most people tend to clam up whenever a Ministry person starts asking questions."

"So Mr. Bones and his group help your father out from time to time?" Remus asked.

"I guess in a sort of unofficial capacity," James nodded. "Interesting that the Blacks have popped up in front of him, isn't it?"

Sirius shrugged. "My family has always had pretty decent connections inside the Ministry. I think the only way Bellatrix and company have stayed out of trouble _this_ long is because the Ministry will turn a blind eye to them for fear of offending my father and his brother. Bones doesn't have the pressure on him to do that, so he'll investigate them fairly."

"Yes, but even if he finds that they're guilty of something, it doesn't sound like the Ministry would follow up," Kate reasoned.

"Unless Bones went directly to Dad and the two of them built the case," James said grimly. "Maybe if they made it strong enough, the Ministry wouldn't be _able_ to turn that 'blind eye'."

Sirius rose and collected the bowls to return them inside. "I wouldn't count on it, Jamie," he said. "I think you'll find Edgar Bones and his staff on the wrong side of a Ministry investigation if they push too hard. The Blacks, Malfoys and LeStranges have very deep pockets and they _donate _a lot of money to Ministry causes. In case you haven't looked at a Ministry dictionary lately, 'donate' is code for 'buying political favors'. I hope your Dad and Bones realize it."

"It would seem that Mr. Potter does, anyway," Remus fell in step with the others as they walked toward the door with Sirius. "Otherwise, why would Dumbledore be dealing directly with _him_ and not with the Minister, himself?"

XXXXXXXX

The walk back to the castle was rather subdued, with the students lost in their own thoughts. As they neared the gates, however, Sirius slowed his pace and squeezed Kate's hand a bit tighter.

"Remember earlier in the alley? When Bellatrix was nattering on about my choice in friends?"

Kate nodded. "I do. Why?"

Sirius stopped, forcing Kate to do the same. "What did she mean when she called you a 'traitor'?"

Kate looked at their clasped hands for a moment before answering. "It doesn't have as much to do with me as it does my father." She looked up when she felt him squeeze her hand again. "I suspect."

"You've never spoken much about your father," Sirius' voice was soft, but his gaze was direct.

"No, I guess I haven't," Kate said, turning as if to resume her walk to the castle.

"Why is that?" Sirius' grip on her hand prevented Kate from getting too far ahead of him. "And why would my cousin know about him?"

She turned. "I don't talk about my father because the subject hasn't come up, I suppose. And as far as your cousin is concerned, I can only guess that she's heard his name mentioned before. Your family isn't shy about voicing its opinion of those who don't fall in line with their beliefs, are they? I'm surprised that this is the first time you've heard a comment like that made about my family. After all, your parents certainly weren't happy when you became involved with me, were they?"

Sirius felt a rush of heat to his face and he gently let go of Kate's hand.

"I thought as much," Kate said quietly. "Yet you said nothing to me about it at the time; asked me no questions since. Why now?"

"To be honest with you, I forgot about it until today, when Bellatrix threw her little barb in your direction." Sirius glanced ahead of them and saw that the rest of the group had continued onward and was well out of earshot now. "Can't we talk about this? If not here and now, then later?"

"I don't see why it's so important to you," Kate said, a bit more sharply than she perhaps intended. "My father is dead; he's not a part of anything that's happening in our world today. So what if Bellatrix Black thinks she knows something about my family? What difference can it possibly make to us?"

Sirius took a step toward Kate and his mouth was set in a grim line. "It's important to me because _you _are important to me. The Black family and those they run with have come under the scrutiny of a very well-respected investigator with ties to the head of the MLE. People are disappearing every single day in our world; I think what Bellatrix might have meant could _easily_ make a difference to us. To _you_ – and I want to be prepared for anything that might happen."

In her heart, Kate knew that what Sirius was saying was true. She remembered the story her mother had told her over the Christmas holiday, however, and she wondered how she could ever share it with him. And, if she did, what his reaction might be. There were still so many questions…so many things that weren't known.

"Don't you trust me?" His voice was quiet, uncertain. It was as if he was reading her mind.

"It isn't about trust, Sirius."

"_Everything_ is about trust, Katie; especially now," Sirius shook his head. "We have to trust each other – _all_ of us – or we'll be no better than the Blacks of this world."

"Alright," Kate replied, putting her hands up in surrender. "We'll talk."

"When?"

"Tonight. We'll go … somewhere - and I'll tell you everything that I know," Kate turned away and started back up the path, torn between her desire not to create a fresh set of problems and the knowledge that she could _not _put him off any longer. _He's right; it really _does _all come down to trust._

Kate heard the crunch of boots on the dirt path and felt Sirius' hand capture hers as he fell back into step beside her. "And I will tell you everything that _I _heard," he said firmly. "But I should warn you that it isn't much. Maybe, though, we can see something that fits in with all that's happening now."

Kate remained silent, but didn't move away from him. _Why is it that the moment we recover from one crisis, the next pops right up to take its place?_

XXXXXXXX

"I understand that you met Edgar Bones and his family in Diagon Alley this afternoon," Dumbledore said quietly when the group had gathered for dinner that evening. Although he spoke softly, his gaze was sharp as he looked round the table from one student to the next. "I had an owl from him late this afternoon."

James was the first to speak. "Yes, Headmaster; he and his wife had brought their son to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. He's a first-year."

Dumbledore nodded. "Ted. A very nice young man, as I recall. Mrs. Bones is Muggle-born; attended the academy in Salem as a girl." This last was said with a smile in Kate's direction.

"Well, that would explain the welcome committee that met him," Sirius said dryly. "Bellatrix had the poor kid at wand-point when we wandered by."

"That was good of you to intercede on young Ted's behalf, Sirius; but I daresay that your actions – no matter how brave - will not endear you to your cousins and their friends," the Headmaster said.

"Well, I can't think of the last time I did _anything _to endear myself to that lot," Sirius replied, "unless, of course, you count my departure from the family ranks!"

While his friends chuckled appreciatively in response to Sirius' comment, they all knew that there was truth in what Dumbledore had said. With Sirius so firmly out of his mother's reach, episodes like today's would undoubtedly encourage Walburga to step up her attempts to get to him and, of course, there was Regulus to consider. If turned – either through kindness or force – could he be the instrument through which Walburga Black exacted her revenge on her disinherited son?

"It seems that those who would prefer to restrict our world to Purebloods are growing more daring each day," Dumbledore was speaking again. "After this afternoon's unpleasantness, our Prefects will need to be mindful of returning students who might be tempted to bring those outdated beliefs onto school grounds."

Lily and Remus nodded resolutely. Hogwarts needed to remain a safe place for students – of all descents; it appeared that there was a new dimension to the Prefects' duties in the coming year.

The meal continued and although the conversation moved on to other topics, the somberness created by the events of the afternoon lingered. When they were finished the Headmaster stopped the students before they were able to quit the Hall. "If I could speak with you all for a moment?" When McGonagall paused to wait for him, Dumbledore smiled and turned to her. "Go on ahead, Minerva; I'll join you in the staff room in a few moments." With a suspicious glance at the Gryffindor students, the Deputy Headmistress did as she was asked.

"An owl arrived while you were in London today," he advised them, eyes twinkling as he pulled a roll of parchment from his robes. "I believe this is news that you will all find _most_ agreeable." He extended the parchment to Sirius. "Mr. Black."

Sirius took the scroll from him with a puzzled look – that vanished almost as soon as he unrolled it and quickly scanned the page. With a very wide smile, he looked up at his friends. "It's from Ofelia," he said. "Mademoiselle Hélène Lóra Marie Delacour was born day before yesterday in Paris. Ofelia and the baby are fine." A small cheer arose from the group.

"Headmaster, could we possibly Floo to Paris to see her?" Kate asked. "We've still the better part of two weeks before term begins and, really, with everything going on, we may not have an opportunity for quite some time."

"And … we have gifts for the baby," Lily added lamely, slapping James lightly on the arm when he snorted a laugh.

Dumbledore looked at them all for several long moments before answering. "In light of all the unfortunate happenings of late, I am reluctant to allow you to travel that far from the safety of our grounds – _however_," this last said as the group took a collective breath to protest, "I will speak with Mr. Potter's father this evening and, if he can spare someone to accompany you, I will gladly permit such a happy trip. I'll get word to you as soon as we've made the arrangements so that you can communicate with Miss Bullstrode and make your own plans."

Later, as the group of friends was relaxing in the Common room, Dumbledore climbed through the portrait hole to confirm that Hal and Margaret Potter had agreed to accompany them to Paris on Wednesday. James' mother welcomed the opportunity to meander through some of the decorating shops and small art galleries in the Wizarding section of the city in pursuit of items for their summer home. The chance to see James and his friends once again was also a powerful draw, the Headmaster assured them with a smile. "Although your father seemed to think that, while true, your mother was well and truly motivated by the lure of French interior design!" Once Wednesday's plans were finalized, Dumbledore bade the group a good night and left them to their own devices.

"Come on," Sirius whispered to Kate, taking her hand as he rose from the sofa. She allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"Where are you off to?" James took his eyes off the chessboard between him and Lily to look suspiciously at his friend.

"We have a date," Sirius said. "Don't wait up."

XXXXXXXX

As the portrait swung closed behind them, Sirius turned to Kate. "Where to? And don't suggest the Room of Requirement thinking it will distract me; it won't work."

She sighed. "Fine; it's a nice evening. Why don't we go up to the Astronomy Tower, then?"

Indeed, as the couple stepped onto the flagstone floor of the Astronomy Tower they were greeted by an uncharacteristically warm evening breeze. Kate walked over to the stone wall and stepped up on the low bench, taking in the view of the grounds leading down to the Black Lake. She folded her arms on top of the ancient wall, still warm with the absorbed heat of the late summer sun. Leaning against the sturdy battlement, Kate rested her chin on her arms, waiting for Sirius to begin the conversation that had brought them here – one that, given the choice, she would not be having. She didn't have long to wait, as Sirius stepped up to stand next to her, his warm shoulder pressing against hers as he adopted a similar position.

"My father was an American – I don't think I ever told you that," Kate began, her voice soft, her gaze still fixed on the castle grounds, "His family had originated in Britain centuries ago, relocating to Salem in the days of the Puritans. He came to England on holiday after he finished university, met my mother and they were married – after quite a bit of protest from her side of the family."

"Purebloods, were they?"

"As was my father," Kate replied. "But my mother's family was more … _traditionally_ Pureblooded, I suppose. And very, very _British_. The fact that my father's equally Pureblooded family chose to pull up stakes and travel to America didn't sit well with the Needhams – despite his own very, very British heritage. He worked for the Ministry – as an Unspeakable. Things went along just fine for awhile, then more and more mixed blood witches and wizards began to pop up. Purebloods became very nervous; their way of life was potentially being threatened. Perhaps these talented upstarts would vie for the same positions of influence that had so traditionally been held by the Purebloods of their world. A groundswell of support began to build for preserving the magical world for only those of Pureblood status. It was fueled, of course, by rumors and outright lies Purebloods circulated about their less pure counterparts. That didn't get things moving quite as quickly as they might have hoped, so they embarked on 'Plan B'."

"Which was…"

"Members of the more aristocratic Pureblood families brought pressure to bear on the next level down – particularly if that 'next level' had family members inside the Ministry. The whispering campaign must have been staggering. At that time, those who worked for the Ministry were largely Purebloods. They had ambition and a thirst for power. The upper echelons of Ministry rule had been static for a very long time. It was relatively easy to convince these ambitious fools that perhaps mixed-blood witches and wizards were being considered for promotion while they continued to languish. The success rate soared – particularly amongst those who also longed for social position. A suggestion that Muggles and half-bloods were holding them back – carefully dropped into casual conversation – worked wonders. Some, who had the ear of the Wizengamot, began to add to the lies and expand the rumors in that area. My grandfather was approached by a Pureblood who wanted access to _my_ father. You know that Unspeakables are forbidden to divulge anything about their positions." Kate half turned to look at Sirius, who was watching her intently. At his nod, she continued. "Imagine what the Purebloods could do if they managed to turn one. Despite my grandfather's rather duplicitous efforts – and the strong-arm tactics of the wizard who attempted it, my father was not turned."

"Who was the wizard?" Sirius wanted to know.

"Your father," Kate said quietly.

Sirius turned his attention back to the lake. "I'm guessing there's more."

"My grandfather came to visit the next day – after Father had left for the Ministry. He lectured my mother about our social status and how quickly we could lose that status if we turned our backs on our responsibilities to our class. My mother thought that Grandfather was still upset about my parents' marriage and that he was being melodramatic as a result. My father was being stubborn, etc. which certainly underscored his lack of allegiance to his birthright. I'm sure you can imagine."

"What happened?"

"For a very long time, nothing. The whole thing seemed to die down. Then, my mother became pregnant with me and she and my father began planning for a new baby and stopped worrying about when the whole campaign might rear its ugly head again. Oh, there were periodic reports of Muggle baiting and the like, but nothing like there had been before. When I turned seven, I started school and Mother would collect me every afternoon. One day, she stopped coming and my father took her place. She told me over Christmas that this was because she had seen a man standing at the edge of the school yard, watching me as I played with my friends. She told Father about it and that was his solution. Several months later, the man showed up again – twice and the last time, my father got a look at him and recognized the face. It was your uncle, Cygnus. Turned out Father had not been completely truthful with us about the scale of Muggle attacks over the past few years. The 'purification of our world' was gaining strength again and had found supporters even in the MLE. People who were arrested for Muggle attacks weren't prosecuted in a very timely manner. Within the year, my father had finalized all the arrangements for our move to America. He resigned his position, withdrew me from school and, without telling anyone where we were going, moved us all to Salem. I was eleven by then and enrolled at the Academy. Father became Head of Special Investigations for the MLE, working with the Muggle FBI in Boston. Things went along quite well for a bit, then the violent attacks and disappearances began happening in America and Father recognized them as being the same type of violence that had been happening over here. They initiated an investigation and found out that two British wizards were involved: someone from the Rosier family and Cygnus Black," Kate paused and stepped down from her perch, turning and sitting on one of the stone benches in the middle of the tower floor.

Sirius stayed where he was.

"When they arrested Black, he remained silent until they brought in the Veritaserum. Then, he gave them Rosier, who confessed to using the attacks to impress this new Dark wizard. They let Black go as he hadn't actually done anything wrong. They prosecuted Rosier – but not before he threw a punch at your uncle."

Sirius turned to face Kate, leaning back against the tower wall. "That couldn't have been very well received here. Purebloods don't care for traitors in their own ranks."

"It wasn't. The FBI followed him around for awhile, just in case there were others he'd managed to convert to this Dark wizard. One night, he just disappeared. My father sent a team out looking, but they returned without making any progress." Kate paused, her emotions getting the better of her as she approached the end of her tale. "Quite late that night, the FBI office in Boston received word of two men injured in an alleyway on the outskirts of the city. One of the men was Cygnus Black who was barely alive after having been hexed repeatedly. He died shortly after the FBI arrived in the alleyway."

"The other man was your father," it wasn't a question.

"Yes. Someone had cast the Killing Curse on him. The MLE said that my father and Black had dueled. My father probably thought he'd finished Black and turned away. When he did, Black cast the Killing Curse," Kate finished.

As had happened when Kate's mother had related the tale to her, there was a long period of silence during which neither Kate nor Sirius moved. Eventually, Kate heard the scrape of boots along the floor and then Sirius was kneeling in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Kate," he said.

She shook her head. "You've nothing to be sorry for; you weren't there. You had nothing to do with any of it. We can't help who our families are." She leant forward and kissed him. "Besides, you're not a Black, remember?"

Sirius rose and sat next to her on the bench. "Well, not in the ways that count, anyway." Sirius reached for her hand. "Well, I understand why it took you so long to tell me about this."

"When Mother first told me, I didn't know what to think. When we came back for the new term, there was the Ofelia situation and that certainly wasn't the time to say anything. And, I'll be honest with you, Sirius, I just couldn't deal with it; for myself or for what it might have done to you or to us," Kate sighed. "I still don't know what to think. Knowing what happened doesn't change anything; it doesn't bring my father back."

"No, it doesn't. Kate," Sirius paused for a moment, "have you thought about what your mother said about the MLE's investigation?"

"In what way?"

"That whole 'duel in the alley' bit; do you honestly think it could have happened that way?"

"When she told me the story and I had the chance to digest it all, I told her that it didn't make sense that a dying wizard could have summoned the strength and magic to have cast the Killing Curse," Kate replied. "My mother didn't think my argument had much merit."

Sirius nodded. "I can imagine. I don't remember much about my uncle Cygnus. My father never mentions him. I wonder…"

"What?"

"If the MLE was involved in all of that, perhaps James' father would know something."

"I don't know," Kate mused standing and walking back toward the wall. "I mean, what good would it do to open all of this up again?"

Sirius came up behind Kate and wrapped his arms around her waist. "If you don't want to know any more than you already do, then we don't have to ask any questions," he said softly. "But if you don't think the story that was given to your mother is the truth, then this is an opportunity to prove that theory. And, selfishly speaking, since a relative of mine was involved in this mess, I'd like to find out more about it, too. Katie…" Sirius took a step back and coaxed her to turn around in his arms. "… the same things that happened back then are starting to happen again. Muggles and Muggle-born are being attacked, some are disappearing altogether. Somehow, my cousins know something about your father – enough to call _you _a 'traitor'. I don't know enough about Cygnus Black to guess about what his involvement might mean – but I know someone who might. If you want to drop this, just say the word and I will. Otherwise, there might be some good in pursuing it."

Kate nodded. "I'm willing to do a little investigating. But who can you talk to about Cygnus Black?"

Sirius smiled down at her. "My Great-uncle Alphard - who just happens to be living in Paris at the moment. Come on, let's go back inside. I've got an owl to send."

**A/N: Thank you to all who have been so patient during this very long gap between updates. Severe writer's block plus a huge project at work were to blame. The block is gone and the project is becoming a bit more manageable. It won't be this long between postings again. Meanwhile, enjoy and thank you again for taking the time to read!**


	58. City of Lights and Darkness

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 58 – City of Light – and Darkness

Stepping into the lobby of l'Hotel d'Artois provided visitors with a quite memorable _sensory_ introduction to Paris. The smell of fresh-baked baguettes wafted from the kitchens and snippets of conversation in the street breezed in through the open windows. Visually, the décor was elegant as befitting its five-wand rating, yet it was comfortable enough to dispel any intimidation of its formidable reputation. Gauzy white curtains fluttered beneath heavy, deep blue damask draperies, held back by thick, braided golden rope. Seating was tastefully arranged in small groupings of loveseats and matching wingback chairs in shades of cream, gold and blue, with cherry side tables and tall brass lamps with soft linen shades. The design had its utilitarian features, as well: dark marble flooring gleamed, uncovered, in front of the massive fireplace to allow for the soot that accompanied Floo travel. Even with industrial strength magical cleaning spells, the deep, lush pile of the rich blue carpet would surely suffer from the constant traffic.

As the Gryffindor students emerged from the ancient hearth, each was greeted warmly by Hal and Margaret. Stepping back from the rest of his companions, Sirius let out a low whistle as he pivoted around, taking in the full splendor of the lobby. "Quite the place," he commented to Remus.

Remus smiled. "Wait until you see the rooms."

"You've been here before?" Sirius' expression more than registered his surprise.

"I have. My great aunt was quite well-to-do and she always stayed in a suite here whenever she came up to Paris from Neuilly. She invited my family to stay with her on several occasions." Remus grimaced. "She always traveled with her two Maltese dogs: Babette and Gigi. Ghastly things they were. Always put up a huge racket whenever they came into contact with me."

"The wolf."

"Naturally. When it came down to a choice between those dogs and her family, the dogs always won out. When she figured out that it was _me _the little wretches were afraid of, we stopped receiving invitations to join her on holiday. Eventually, when dear old auntie died, she left everything to those two spoilt animals. Imagine: an entire fortune left to two dogs!" Remus shook his head and smiled ruefully.

"And I thought _my_ family was crazy!" Sirius snorted then stopped suddenly, his face taking on a look that had always meant trouble. "_Although_, maybe we're not so different after all. If I hadn't been disowned and had followed the Pureblood straight and narrow, _my _parents would have left _their_ fortune to a dog, too!"

Remus and Sirius were still chuckling when the Potters and both girls rejoined them. "This can't be good," Kate said, coming to stand next to Sirius, who affected an insulted look.

"I assure you, Katie-girl; Remus and I were having a perfectly innocent conversation" Sirius grinned over at his friend.

"About dogs," Remus finished, snickering.

"Do we want to know?" Kate asked Lily who shook her head as Margaret Potter shepherded them toward the lifts.

"Come, children," she called. "Our apartment is waiting for us."

XXXXXXXX

The oversized lift opened into what turned out to be the parlor of a spacious apartment located on the top floor of the hotel. Equipped with an eat-in kitchen, the living space also boasted four bedrooms, with fully appointed bathrooms – _en suite_ – a private study and, off the living room, a balcony affording breathtaking views of Paris.

"Wow," Lily breathed, walking toward the French doors and pushing them open to take in the view before her. "Ooo – they have a lovely porch swing!" James winked at Sirius and strode out onto the balcony to check out Lily's discovery.

"This is beautiful," Kate commented, running her hand over the sumptuous upholstery of the sofa.

"That it is," Hal agreed. "A former colleague of mine – and a very old friend – retired a few years ago from the MLE here in Paris. His daughter and her family live in Ireland, now so he and his wife spend most of the year over there with the grandchildren. He was only too happy to let us use the apartment."

"Lovely man," Margaret commented, crossing the room to call to James and Lily. When they reappeared, she motioned them to follow her into a short hallway that opened up into a large, circular area. "The bedrooms are here – and there are four of them. Hal and I are here," she pointed to a set of double doors to her right. "Over there are three additional rooms." Margaret gestured to the opposite side of the room where three large doors were situated along the semi-circular shape of the wall. "One for you ladies, one for the gentlemen – and a spare…"

"…that we can assign to James when his snoring becomes too much for Moony and me to take," finished Sirius, waggling his eyebrows at his friend, and stepping back quickly to avoid a playful punch to the shoulder.

With an indulgent smile at the two wizards, Margaret turned to Kate and Lily. "Come, girls; while they're otherwise occupied, you can have first choice of rooms!"

Remus stepped toward them. "I'd best come along and represent the wizards of the group," he said with a smile. "…or perhaps just choose the best bed in the second best bedroom!"

"Oi, Remus!" James and Sirius stopped their banter when they heard his last comment and moved to follow him, but were restrained by a gentle hand on each of their shoulders.

"Let's chat for a bit," Hal said, turning them in the direction of the hallway and gesturing toward the balcony. Once there, the boys waited curiously while James' father closed the doors behind him. "Right. Now, you both might think that I'm way too old to remember what it was like to be your age – and to be totally taken by the charms of a beautiful young witch." He paused and smiled at them. "You would be wrong, however. You would also be mistaken if you thought that I was blissfully unaware of the … shall we say, change of room assignments? … that went on in Brighton…."

James and Sirius both flushed scarlet and James cleared his throat nervously. "Dad, I'm sorry…"

Hal held up his hand for silence. "As I said, I remember what it felt like to be young and in love." He looked sharply at the wizards in front of him. "But that does not absolve you – _either of you_ – from behaving in a responsible and respectful manner. If similar arrangements were to occur over the next few days, I would ask that you be as discreet as you were at the beach house. You needn't look so surprised; I'm not insensitive to the fact that this is probably your last chance for some privacy before you're back in your respective dormitories at school. _And _that you've all been through quite a bit this year. I also know that neither of you are promiscuous nor are you allowing raging hormones to rule your behavior. That said, however, I would ask you to also remember that there is a fifth person present for this part of your holiday; someone who is not paired off with an attractive young witch. Remus endures more than his fair share of segregation given his condition; he deserves better from his friends, true?"

Sirius and James exchanged a look before Sirius spoke. "Mr. Potter, we didn't mean any disrespect to you or to Mrs. Potter - and we certainly don't want Remus to feel like a fifth wheel around us – or to be shunted off on his own to make things easier for us. We've only just gotten everything worked out and I don't want anything to wedge in between us again." James nodded, cheeks still flushed.

Hal smiled. "I think if you follow his lead, you'll be fine. Oh – and your mother is not as observing as I, nor, I don't believe, as liberal in her thinking. While I don't endorse holding secrets, this is probably one situation – and conversation – that should remain between us three, yes?"

XXXXXXXX

After a tour of the three remaining bedrooms, Lily and Kate discovered that they were all fairly similar in size and design and so selected the one furthest to the right as it was the last they'd viewed. Remus then claimed the furthest to the left for himself and his mates, watching as Margaret stood in the doorway and conjured a third bed near the large window. He then stepped inside, leaving the women to their devices, assuring Margaret – with thanks - that he could easily make up his own bed without assistance. The girls restored their trunks to their standard size and soon, with Margaret's help, had unpacked and made up both queen-sized beds with fresh linens and quilts. Deciding that some iced tea was in order before working out the plans for the rest of the day, they made their way across the parlor toward the kitchen, thinking the men might have also had a similar idea. As they crossed the parlor, however, Lily caught sight of the trio out on the balcony.

"That's odd," she commented, taking down tall glasses from the cupboard. "I wonder what they're talking about that requires closed doors."

Margaret tapped her wand against the kettle to set the water boiling and began spooning loose tea into a large, stainless steel pot. "Nothing to worry about, I'm sure," she replied distractedly, restoring a large shopping bag to its full size and rummaging about for a fresh lemon. "But, since they're occupied – and we have a few minutes while the tea steeps - let's sit down and have a little chat about sleeping arrangements, shall we?"

Kate and Lily both paled considerably and dropped automatically into the wooden chairs that surrounded the kitchen table. Margaret took her own seat and smiled gently at the two girls. "Now, then; first of all, please know that I'm not angry or disappointed in either of you for … well, for _pairing off_ with Sirius and James when we were in Brighton a few weeks ago. I'd be less than honest with you if I said I'd never been in a similar situation myself when I wasn't very much older than the two of you are now. Mr. Potter, however, would likely be a bit taken aback if he knew. He's a bit more old-fashioned than I, so it's a good job he was unaware of things."

As Lily seemed to be having a very difficult time finding her tongue, Kate swallowed hard. "Mrs. Potter, please know that we weren't intending to be disrespectful and, really, Sirius and I just wanted to – we weren't having - that is to say, we really just …" she trailed off.

"Slept?" Margaret supplied, looking from one to the other.

"Yes," Kate supplied, glancing over at Lily, who nodded, looking miserable.

"Then I won't embarrass us further with conversations about taking appropriate precautions and carefully thinking over the rules your own parents may have in place for you," Margaret smiled. "I will ask, however, that you remember that you, Sirius and James are not the only young people on this trip. Any decisions you make should take Remus' feelings into consideration. Now, enough said about that, I should think." She rose and moved over to the tea, waving her wand over the top to vanish the tea leaves and apply a cooling charm to the brew. An additional spell sliced the lemon and floated the fruit gently into the tea. "There. Why don't you go and tell the boys that we've iced tea and biscuits going and they should come along before I finish them all!"

The balcony doors opened as Kate and Lily approached them. "Mrs. Potter said that tea's ready," Kate said as the three wizards stepped inside.

"We'll be right there," James said, heading toward the bedroom area. "We'll just go wash up and get Remus."

Lily took Kate's arm. "We'd better freshen up, as well. Be right back," she called over her shoulder to James' parents. The young witch wanted nothing more than to splash some cold water on her face and collect herself before sitting down to tea with Margaret Potter. Although the older woman had been gracious and kind, the subject matter had left Lily feeling embarrassed and a little ill at ease.

XXXXXXXX

Remus waited until Margaret had left and he heard the door of what would be the girls' room close before he re-entered the sitting area. Glancing around, he made his way to the middle bedroom and slipped inside. Walking over to one of the large beds, he removed his trunk from his pocket, placed it carefully on the floor and murmured the incantation that returned it to normal size. Quietly, he began unpacking its contents, placing his clothing in the wardrobe and his toiletries in the bathroom. As he worked, his thoughts turned to his friends and the feelings that had so obviously deepened between the two couples. He was glad his friends were happy – glad that James had finally won the only witch he'd ever seriously fancied; and very happy that Sirius and Kate had overcome their challenges and were officially a couple. Remus didn't mind leaving them their privacy in the least. He knew that they would all be together – and busy – while in Paris; having some space to himself would be a nice respite from the dormitory life that had begun earlier than usual this year. Besides, there was Dorcas, whose company he enjoyed enormously and whom he sadly missed over the holiday. It was true that he cared deeply for the young witch – and she for him. But, after all, she didn't know what caring for him truly meant. Remus sighed, thinking of the full moon that was still two weeks away. Ultimately, _it_ would always be his "partner"; there were too many risks inherent in the pursuit of another. _Maybe I _do _envy them a _bit. Feeling himself slipping toward maudlin thoughts, Remus quickly finished unpacking then grabbed a book and headed out to the sitting area to wait for his friends. _Buck up, Lupin_, he told himself sternly. _This is Paris and you're here with your friends – your _best mates_. You've missed far too much time with them as it is these past months. Time to focus on enjoying these next few days – not dwelling on things you definitely _cannot_ change._

It wasn't long before the low murmur of voices signaled the arrival of Sirius and James. When Remus turned to greet them, he noted that rather than the happy-go-lucky wizards of earlier in the day, the two friends seemed quite distracted. Tossing a quick greeting in his direction, the two boys only stopped when confronted with three closed doors and no idea which belonged to them. Remus had been following their progress.

"It's the one on the left," he said, his confusion intact when they simply opened the door and went inside.

Moments later, Lily came through, dragging Kate behind her and with only a wave in his general direction, they, too, disappeared into their room. _Curious._

He rose, intending to join James and Sirius, but the door to their room opened before he had gotten very far.

"Moony! Where's your trunk, mate?" James asked, glancing back over his shoulder into the room as if the item had materialized once he'd turned his back.

"Yeah, where's all your gear?" Sirius chimed in. "Don't tell me that our favorite Prefect is skiving off unpacking….."

Remus smiled then inclined his head toward the middle door. "My trunk is in _there_ – all nice and empty."

Sirius took a step toward his friend. "Remus, why aren't you staying in with us? I mean, we're ok now and …"

Remus shook his head adamantly. "Padfoot, this doesn't have _anything_ to do with what happened before. That is all over and done with; you know this. I chose a room to myself because – well, I thought you and the girls would like some time to yourselves. And, to be truthful, it would be nice to have a room of my own for a few days. You know – I can read all night if I want to without worrying about disturbing you lot. And, of course, there's James' snoring to be considered. I usually enjoy an entire summer without listening to _that_ racket!"

James spoke up. "Listen, despite that unbelievably tired comment about my snoring – which isn't true, by the way – we really don't want you off on your own while we're here. We spent enough time – well – at odds with each other this past year. I think it's possible for Sirius and I to survive for a few nights without the presence of Lily and Kate in our rooms. We manage for the entire school year, after all."

"James, really; I would enjoy the solitude. I plan to stay where I am even if you and Padfoot _do_ wind up sharing that room," Remus insisted. "Besides, with everything that's planned over the next few days, I don't imagine we'll be spending much time in our rooms, do you?"

"I suppose you're right," Sirius allowed. "What _are _the plans, anyway?"

The sound of a door opening drew their attention and the boys were soon joined by Kate and Lily, the latter looking much less harassed than she had earlier.

"I suspect that we'll find out the particulars over tea," Kate said. "For which we are decidedly late."

"Let's go," James said, grabbing Lily's hand.

"What was the big meeting out on the balcony earlier?" the redhead asked as they walked toward the hallway.

Both James and Sirius blushed. "Dad just wanted to talk to Sirius and me for a minute," James replied.

"Is there something wrong?" Kate asked.

"No!" Sirius remembered Hal's suggestion that they keep their conversation between themselves and he desperately wanted to just drop the whole thing before he blurted it all out. He needn't have worried.

"Dad knew that you both stayed with us down in Brighton," James said in a rush. "He's ok with it – I'm NOT going to go into details about the conversation, so you can just forget – wait, why are you laughing?"

Lily and Kate were hanging onto each other, tears of mirth rolling down their cheeks. Gasped words and fragments of sentences were all they could muster.

"Old fashioned …" Kate wheezed.

"Not….aware," Lily choked out.

"What ARE the two of you on about?" Sirius demanded, folding his arms across his chest and waiting while the two young witches brought themselves under some semblance of control.

"Your mother had a similar conversation with _us_," Lily said, finally. "She's not angry, but said that your father was completely unaware of what went on in Brighton – and good thing, as he's so old-fashioned!"

James and Sirius let out matching whoops then shared Hal's observation about Margaret with their friends. The five of them lapsed into another round of laughter before James sobered up suddenly and looked at the others with a grimace on his face. "It was bad enough that Dad knew what we were doing – but Mum?"

"Oh, James – really. She hinted to us that she'd had a similar experience when she was younger," Lily said, watching the color drain from James' face. He put his hands up in front of him as if warding off a stampeding Hippogriff.

"Not another word," he said hoarsely. "She's my _mother._ I won't be able to look her in the eye as it is. Come on," he grabbed Lily's hand again and took off toward the hallway.

"Shall we?" Sirius asked, reaching for Kate's hand. She took it and, with a mischievous grin, grabbed Remus' hand as well.

"Why settle for one handsome wizard when a girl can have tea and biscuits with two?"

XXXXXXXX

Tea turned out to be a merry affair and even James managed to choke down a half dozen chocolate biscuits without incident. Of course, it took two glasses of iced tea and a half hour before he could actually look at his mother with out blushing scarlet, but he came around eventually. For her part, Margaret chatted happily away about Paris – both Wizard and Muggle – and the various shops and galleries that were in the vicinity of the hotel.

"I shall understand, however, if you younger gentlemen would prefer to spend time doing something other than shopping," she added with a smile. "You all want to visit a friend in hospital, I understand."

The students nodded. "Tomorrow, if possible; before she leaves," Kate offered.

Hal reached for another biscuit. "I don't see any problem with your visit taking place tomorrow morning. Margaret and I can accompany you to hospital and wait while you see Miss Bullstrode. Perhaps we can all do a bit of shopping and sight-seeing afterward."

While the others agreed and as the conversation about their agenda continued, Sirius listened and _more_ _than_ got the message. The Potters were along because of Dumbledore's concerns for their safety – or _his _at any rate. There was no way that the five students would be left to their own devices in Paris without some degree of supervision. Sirius had known this going in, of course, but the reminder underscored the difference between the time they'd spent in Brighton and this end-of-holiday sojourn to Paris. He thought of his Uncle Alphard and the reply he'd received to his owl requesting a visit. Sirius dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a folded piece of parchment.

"Mr. Potter, my Uncle Alphard owns an apartment in the Hôtel des Maréchaux," he held out the parchment to Hal as he spoke. "I owled him before we left Hogwarts and asked if I could come and see him while we're here. He's getting older now – over one hundred, actually. I haven't seen him in awhile and I'd liked to, very much. Uncle Alphard was kicked out of the family, too – as you can tell from his reply." Sirius nodded at Hal. "Go ahead. You can read it."

Hal opened the parchment and found himself smiling as his eyes scanned the few sentences that were written there.

'_Dear Sirius, _

_Well, my dear great-nephew, it would seem that you've finally managed to escape the perpetual purity of the House of Black. My congratulations to you, my boy! And, with your liberation comes the ability to visit with another ex-patriot: me. It is with great delight that I await your arrival. You are most welcome at any time and for as long as you would like. I've noted my address at the end of this parchment. Muggle Paris is a magical place to live (imagine your dear father's reaction to _that_ statement!). You and any of your friends are more than welcome any time you choose to visit. Send an owl with the date and time most convenient for you and we will make our plans. _

_Affectionately, your – _

_Uncle Alphard'_

"You have his sense of humor," Margaret remarked, smiling at Sirius. "Hal, Sirius' uncle lives quite close-by, doesn't he?"

"Quite. It is on the opposite side of the Arc de Triomphe, once you've gone through into Muggle Paris," her husband replied. "Sirius, do you have an idea of when you'd like to see him?"

"It's short notice, but if he agrees, I'd like to see him this evening – if you don't mind, that is," Sirius added. "I don't want to bollo-, I mean _mess_ up your plans."

Hal hid a grin. "I think that you should send an owl to your uncle and see if he's agreeable. I had thought the rest of us would go to a little restaurant down the street from our hotel. It's run by a lovely – and very talented – couple who studied at the Cordon Bleu." He paused and reached for his wife's hand. "Margaret and I first visited the place on our honeymoon." Hal kissed the back of her hand. "We can walk down to the restaurant together then I'll see you to your uncle's and come back. How does that sound?"

Sirius felt himself bristle at the escort but remained silent; there was no point in protesting something he knew he couldn't change. And, recalling the incident with Bellatrix and Edgar Bones' son, the young wizard reluctantly accepted that the protection was not without merit. "That sounds fine, sir. Thank you."

"I'll ring downstairs and ask them to send up one of the hotel's owls."

Margaret rose and began gathering the remains of their tea and immediately, Lily jumped up to help, waving Kate off determinedly. "You can't spend the next few days doing penance, you know," Kate whispered to her friend. "You'll never enjoy a moment of Paris if you do!" Lily rolled her eyes and balanced plates and silver as she trotted dutifully into the kitchen behind the older witch.

Kate looked around to find James and Remus heading into the study to explore the ceiling to floor bookshelves installed there. A soft breeze fluttered the sheer panels hanging on either side of the balcony doors and Kate decided to claim the swing until everyone gathered to prepare for dinner. It wasn't long before the gentle motion of the swing had Kate nodding off in a light doze – one that was interrupted awhile later by the sound of boots crossing the stone floor.

"Off you go; and be sure to wait for a reply, please," Sirius' soft voice filtered through Kate's sleepy brain and she turned to see him at the balcony wall, sending a beautiful white owl off into the clear sky.

"Do you suppose he'll be available?" Kate asked, sitting up to make room for Sirius to sit beside her. He dropped down close to Kate, leaning over and kissing her cheek before settling back against the deep cushions.

"Dunno. I hope so. He's the only family member I've got that's worth anything – well, besides my cousin Andi."

"What about Regulus? I thought things had gotten better with him, no?"

Sirius turned to look at her. "We'll see what happens when he comes back to Hogwarts next Sunday, eh? They've had enough time to encourage him back onto the straight and narrow since I left."

"He might surprise you," Kate observed, looking over at the balcony as the sound of rustling wings drew her attention. The hotel owl had returned.

Sirius rose and removed the scroll from its leg. He stroked the snowy head briefly then opened the message. A moment later, he was smiling broadly.

"Brilliant! Uncle Alphard is available for dinner – and suggests that I bring along anything I might need if I want to stay over until tomorrow," Sirius said. "Do you mind that I'm going alone? Without you, I mean?"

"A little," Kate confessed truthfully. "But only because I'll miss your company."

Sirius sat next to her again and took her hand in both of his. "I want you to meet him, Katie – before we leave Paris to go back to school. You'll like him."

Kate squeezed his fingers. "I already do."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. "I'm going to go in and let James' parents know I've heard back from Uncle Alphard."

"I'll walk in with you," Kate rose. "I imagine we're all going to be leaving soon."

XXXXXXXX

A little over an hour later, the group stepped off the lift and into the lobby. Given it was still early, most guests were in their suites preparing for whatever evening engagements they had made, leaving little activity in the public area of the hotel or in the street beyond. As they stepped out onto the cobblestoned streets, Kate felt Sirius slip his hand into hers, entwining their fingers tightly. She smiled at him before looking around her.

"It's so beautiful," she said, taking in the ancient buildings with their elaborate decorative detail.

"And historic," Lily put in. "Hotel d'Artois, for example, is named for Mathilde d'Artois, mother-in-law of King Philip V. She was tried for sorcery in 1316 because she was thought to be using magic to reconcile her daughter with Philip after they'd had a severe falling-out. She was also suspected of using magic against Louis X to secure the throne for her son-in-law. They acquitted her in 1317."

James looked down at Lily and shook his head. "How did you manage to find out about all of _that_? We've practically just arrived!"

"I found it in a book in the study while I was waiting for _you _to finish your attempt to tame that _hair_!" Lily reached over and attempted to ruffle James' always unruly mop, but he caught her hand and lowered it, still clasped in his own. Squeezing it gently, he continued to walk along without releasing her. Lily smiled and moved a bit closer to him.

"Ah, here we are!" Hal stopped in front of a whitewashed stone building from which emanated soft laughter, the tinkle of cutlery against fine china and the mouth watering aromas of roasting meat, garlic and fresh bread. "Margaret, why don't you go on in and get everyone settled? I'll be right back."

"Have fun with your uncle," James called as, with waves in his direction they all disappeared inside the restaurant.

"Ready?" Hal put his hand on Sirius' shoulder.

The pair retraced their steps and soon found themselves on the magical side of the soaring Arc du Triomphe. "Same principal as Platform 9 ¾, you know," Hal said. "Just focus on the stone wall of the Arc and walk straight through to the other side." He finished with a smile, turned and followed his own directions, stepping into the seemingly solid wall and disappearing through it. Sirius shifted his knapsack more securely over his shoulder and followed; a moment later, the two were reunited beneath the archway. They walked quickly along Place de l'Etoile until they were standing before the prestigious Hôtel des Maréchaux.

"Here we are," Hal said. "Your uncle is on the second floor, yes?"

Sirius nodded. "You don't need to go in with me, Mr. Potter. I've been here before; I know my way."

"Good enough. Now, I know you've brought your things with you in the event you decide to stay the night. If something happens and you want to come back to the apartment, you can send an owl. Otherwise, I'll be back for you tomorrow morning at 9, yes?"

"Yes," Sirius nodded. As Hal started back in the direction he'd come, Sirius reached out and put a hand on his arm. Hal turned and looked at the young wizard quizzically. "Thank you. For this – and _everything_ you and Mrs. Potter have done for me. It's more than my own parents have done – would have done."

Hal's impulse was to do what he would have done with his own son – reach out to him, but there was something about the quiet dignity with which Sirius spoke that stopped him. Hal realized that the wizard before him was more man than boy now – his parents had seen to that. Yet, there _was_ something childlike that periodically surfaced in Sirius' voice and manner – another gift from the Blacks. Hal compromised and covered Sirius' hand with his own. "You're very welcome, son, but remember – you are part of our family and this is how family treats one another, after all." With a smile and a brief increase of pressure on Sirius' hand, Hal resumed his walk. Sirius watched him through the far wall of the archway before walking quickly up the steps and inside the building.

XXXXXXXX

"Master Black, come in; your uncle is waiting for you in the study." Madame Rousseau, housekeeper for Alphard Black for over twenty years, greeted Sirius with a smile as she ushered him into the entrance gallery of her employer's luxurious apartment. Tall, rail thin and with iron gray hair pulled back and twisted into a rather severe French twist, Marie Rousseau was viewed with trepidation by those who did not know her well. The staff who made the household tick along fluidly respected Marie, knowing her to be a fair and considerate manager – but one who ruled the household with only one goal in mind – the contentment and well being of Alphard Black. Disowned by his family, Alphard had but two relatives for whom he had any regard whatsoever: a great niece, Andromeda, who had no interest in the Dark beliefs of her family – and this one, his great nephew, Sirius, for whom he had particularly great affection. Marie, too, had grown fond of the young man and was happy to hear that he would be visiting.

"Madame Marie," Sirius smiled, leaning forward and kissing her cheek. "How have you been?"

"Quite well, young man," she replied in heavily accented – but perfect – English. "Come."

The two made their way along the corridor, with its gleaming inlaid wood flooring and very high walls, all painted a soft white. The corridor ended at a cross-running hallway beyond which stood a pair of wide windows which stood ceiling to floor and led to a large balcony. They drew level with the last door on the left and Marie gave Sirius a smile before leaning forward to open it.

"Go right on in. Let me take your bag and put it in the guest room, yes? I'll be back in a moment with tea," Marie said, closing the door behind him once Sirius had given her his knapsack and stepped forward.

"Sirius, my boy! Come in, come in!" Alphard Black's voice boomed from the far end of the room and turning, Sirius saw his great uncle rise from the depths of a huge, overstuffed chair to the right of the open window. He was just as Sirius remembered him. Long white, wavy hair flowed just past his shoulders and his long, thick white beard fell to just above his waist and, like Dumbledore's, was secured with a pencil thin ribbon, from which dangled a golden star. That was where the resemblance ended, however, as Alphard Black was a fair head and a half taller than Dumbledore and did not wear traditional wizard garb unless he ventured beyond the magical portal embedded in the arch. This didn't mean that the elderly wizard dressed in a conservative fashion. Today, he was dressed in a pair of bell-bottomed denims with a white linen, tunic styled shirt, embroidered with symbols that Sirius recognized as runes. A pair of brown sandals completed his outfit and Sirius' face broke out in a wide smile.

"Uncle Alphard," he said moving forward and into the tight embrace of the older man. He felt the same sense of home with this man that he felt with the Potters. _How could I ever have thought that I belonged in Grimmauld Place?_

"Sit down, my boy," Alphard broke the embrace and gestured toward a matching chair beside his. "You've brought your things with you to stay the night, I trust?" At the younger wizard's nod, he continued. "Excellent. Marie will have dinner ready for us before we finish our cup of tea, I'll wager. I'm looking forward to our visit."

"As am I, Uncle," Sirius responded. "It's so good to see you."

"You've had a hard time." It wasn't a question.

"I'm a disappointment to them," Sirius said quietly. He knew immediately what his uncle was referring to. "I don't believe in the things they believe in and they hate me for it."

"Do you consider that you've failed in some way?" Alphard leaned forward.

"Never! I don't want to be like them; I'm _not _like them! It's just…it's hard not to be accepted by the people who _should _accept you."

"I understand. But you have the Potters," Alphard said, smiling. "They're good people."

Sirius returned the smile. "The best," he agreed. "They've taken me in; they've told me that they think of me as a son."

"And you think of them as family, as well?"

"Yes, sir," Sirius said firmly.

"Excellent! They recognize and prize in you all of the qualities your parents and the rest of them despise. You are a fine young man; a powerful wizard. You believe in all of the right things and are not seduced by the power of the Dark magic that most of our relations embrace. I am exceedingly proud of you, my boy. I - ," Alphard broke off as the door opened and Marie entered pushing a tea cart on which rested a sterling tea service and two generously sized mugs.

"Merci, Marie," Alphard said.

"I wish you would use the proper china service," Marie admonished. "These _tankards_ are unseemly and do not match the elegant silver."

"Well, then, I shall not force _you_ to use them, my dear. You may use the _proper china_ to your heart's content. We are men, Marie; none of that dainty, two-swallows per cup nonsense for us. Isn't that right, my boy?" Alphard winked at his great-nephew.

"Absolutely! And not just for tea, eh?" Sirius mimicked his great-uncle's wink.

Alphard threw back his head and laughed heartily. "You see, Marie? He's like me, he is! The _right kind _of Black!"

"Merlin help us, yes, I see!" the Frenchwoman shook her head but her tone was affectionate. "Now, dinner will be ready for you in fifteen minutes. See that you are in the dining room at that time or I shall not be pleased with either of '_the right kind of Blacks_'!"

This time, Sirius joined Alphard in a bout of hearty laughter as Alphard poured out and the two hurriedly drank their tea.

Later, over dinner, the conversation turned solemn again and, at Alphard's gentle questioning, Sirius recounted what had happened with Walburga both over Christmas and, latterly, in the summer. The older man paled as he listened to Sirius' story and when the younger wizard was finished, he was silent for a very long time. Finally, he spoke.

"Sirius, what happened to you should never happen to anyone. Children should not suffer at the hands of their parents. I trust that you have no plan to return to Grimmauld Place."

"None. I'll never go back," Sirius' voice was adamant.

"My boy, it is _imperative_ that you remain as far away from your parents as possible – particularly your mother," Alphard's expression and tone were as devoid of good humor as Sirius had ever seen.

He nodded. "I know."

"Even the incidental meeting, such as King's Cross must be avoided. Walburga is an extremely unstable witch," Alphard was insistent.

The penny dropped. "You know about her 'visit' to Paris," Sirius said slowly, surprise evident on his face.

Alphard nodded. "An old acquaintance of mine is a Healer who specializes in mental maladies. Very similar to Muggle psychiatrists. Oh, he's reduced his practice to well below half-time now, but he's still called upon to consult in more unusual cases."

"Such as my mother's."

"Yes, but he was not involved beyond a chance run-in with the Healer who was treating her. He overheard a bit of conversation and recognized the name. He is, of course, bound by oath to remain mum about patients' cases." Here Alphard paused, toying with the hem of his napkin for awhile, seemingly involved in some sort of internal debate. Finally, he broke his silence. "Whatever he heard, however, was distressing enough for him to share only the most abbreviated summary of the Healer's opinion."

"And what did he say?" Sirius wasn't certain that he wanted to hear any of the details, yet he couldn't seem to stop himself asking. It was like watching a bludger heading toward a mate on the Quidditch pitch. You knew it would be awful, you didn't want to look, but you just couldn't make yourself look away.

"Walburga is more than unstable, Sirius," came the soft reply. "She is a powerful witch who is also deeply disturbed. The combination makes her highly dangerous – as you have already experienced."

Sirius swallowed audibly. "And they can do nothing to help her, can they?"

"Oh, yes; there are certain treatments but they are quite drastic and I'm afraid that Walburga would not consent," Alphard shook his head. "To be completely fair, I'm not certain that I would have agreed, either."

"What were they?"

"A combination of dramatic memory modification and potion-induced behavior alteration. She would have had removed all memories of perceived transgressions against her. Then, healers would have administered potions designed to alter her reactions to certain people and situations that triggered the more … _negative _aspects of her personality. As was explained to me, Walburga would have had limited emotional reactions to people around her."

"And I would be correct in the assumption that I am one of the 'certain people' who would have disappeared from her memory; correct?" Sirius' expression was grim.

"Yes, son. You and I _both _were specifically mentioned as triggering a significantly negative response in her."

"Well, she certainly wouldn't have wanted to rob herself of the ability to hate _me_, would she?" Alphard remained silent; neither wizard required an answer to Sirius' question.

"Uncle Alphard, did they do anything at all for her?"

The old wizard shook his head. "She had one or two conversations – 'sessions', I believe they're called. The Healers quickly realized that unless Walburga agreed to the treatment they recommended, they could do nothing for her. They cautioned your father about the consequences of taking her home without treatment…"

"…which, basically, means that nothing will change," Sirius interjected bitterly.

Alphard reached over and covered Sirius' hand with his own. "Which is why you need to remain away from her."

Sirius nodded. "Well, that should prove easy enough. Nothing can get to me at school; Dumbledore will see to that. I've got Mr. Potter – Head of the MLE – protecting me in Paris, except that Mother's back in London now, so it should be all right anyway. And, of course, nothing will happen to me here, with you." The younger wizard smiled. "Mr. Potter called you an 'extremely powerful wizard'."

Alphard did not return Sirius' cheerful expression. "Harold Potter would not have allowed you to come here – nor would Albus Dumbledore – if I were not. Your own power is tremendous, but not yet fully developed. I daresay that in the end, you will surpass me handily."

Sirius flushed with pleasure at his great-uncle's observation.

"You must remember this conversation, son – especially when you are tempted to act recklessly and take unnecessary chances. There are those, after all, who would wish to ensure that you do not have the time to reach your full potential. Do not give them an opportunity to achieve that goal." Alphard patted Sirius' hand then picked up his wine goblet and took a healthy swallow.

Sirius watched his great-uncle quietly, but his mind was whirling with questions. Finally – and true to form – he could keep still now longer. "Is this why you invited me to dinner and to stay tonight? To warn me about my mother?"

"Not entirely; you already knew how dangerous Walburga could be, didn't you?" At Sirius' nod, he continued, "there are others in the Black family who would wish us harm. Surely, Bellatrix has not changed her stripes – nor will she. And Narcissa has taken up with a Malfoy – another arrogant, dangerous family. She is vain and stupid and she and Lucius – that peacock – will make a fine pair. But, the peacock has fallen in with vipers, my boy; his power has impressed them greatly. While he preens his feathers, the Dark ones position him to attract others to their cause. It won't be long before these scattered disappearances escalate into something more – and those who have chosen a Darker path will be revealed to us in most unpleasant ways. Some will be those we've held close to us and would have never suspected. Remember that Dark followers prey on the weak, the outcasts – always. I want you to always remember who you are _in here_," Alphard reached over and put his hand over Sirius' heart, "for _that_ will never allow you to be swayed from your beliefs. _That _will give you your greatest protection. These are things I wanted to say to you." He withdrew his hand and finally smiled again. "And, of course, you are delightful company."

Sirius smiled. "So are you, Uncle."

Alphard inclined his head. "Thank you."

"Are you in danger, as well?" Sirius truly loved the elderly wizard – always had – and was most distressed to think that anything could happen to him.

Alphard paused and appeared to be weighing his answer carefully. After some time had passed, he nodded. "Yes, but we are _all _in danger, son."

"But not _all_ are in danger of my mother, Uncle," Sirius replied. "That is a threat unique to us, I think. I know why she hates me as she does. Is it just that you don't conform to 'Toujours Pur' that makes her hate _you_?"

"No, indeed," Alphard replied. "Your mother hates _me_ as she does because I've validated your belief that they are _wrong_ about 'Toujours Pur'. And, of course, because I love you. In many ways, you are like the son I did not have." Alphard cleared his throat roughly and rose then, making a great task of straightening the chair cover.

Sirius felt the prickle of tears behind his eyes and swallowed against a throat that had suddenly gotten quite tight. He waited until he had brought himself under some degree of control before he rose, moving over to where his great-uncle stood. He embraced the old wizard lightly, feeling Alphard return the gesture. A moment later, the embrace ended and Sirius took a step back.

"You are my family – more like a grandfather than an uncle. I love you, too," the young wizard said quietly.

Fortunately, a knock on the door provided sufficient distraction to allow the two wizards to compose themselves. Marie entered the dining room, her sharp eyes taking in the discomfiture of the pair standing at the head of the table. "I've just put chocolate cake and coffee in the parlor, M. Black. Perhaps you and Master Black would like to take your dessert there so that the staff can restore order in here, oui?"

"Of course, Marie. We were finished here anyway," Alphard responded, putting his arm around Sirius' shoulders. "Shall we, my boy?"

Sirius nodded.

"Excellent! And perhaps while we enjoy Marie's excellent cake, you can tell me all about this beautiful young witch of yours." Sirius' eyes widened in surprise and looked up at his great-uncle, who simply laughed and steered him out of the room.

Over dessert, Sirius did, indeed, tell Alphard all about Kate and the elder wizard was touched at the tenderness in Sirius' eyes as he spoke. "She is very special to you, this one," he said when Sirius had finished.

"Very special, Uncle. She would very much like to meet you," Sirius replied.

"Well, then, let us send an owl to Mr. Potter and suggest that Miss Morgan accompany him in the morning. Perhaps we can all have breakfast together before you depart."

Sirius readily agreed and the owl was dispatched at once. Just as Sirius was cleaning his teeth before bed, his great-uncle knocked on his door to tell him that Mr. Potter had replied, suggesting that Alphard join all of _them_ for breakfast in their apartment so that he could meet all of Sirius' friends. The two Black wizards grinned and agreed that this was, indeed, a much better plan and Alphard hurried off to send a confirmation to the Potters.

Later, as Sirius lay in bed, he thought about all that Alphard had told him and, despite the Darkness that was permeating their world, the young wizard decided that his life was better now than it had been in some time – all due to the love of people who chose to be his family – and one elderly wizard who shared both his blood and his beliefs.


	59. Muggle Paris, Magical Paris

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Angst.

Chapter 59 – Muggle Paris, Magical Paris

"I believe our guests have arrived," Alphard walked back inside the apartment from the balcony situated at the end of the entrance hall. "Everything is ready outside and the weather, thankfully, has cooperated." He walked to where Sirius stood and patted him on the shoulder before throwing wide the double doors.

"Welcome, welcome," Alphard greeted his guests and, smiling broadly, he shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, then with James, Remus, Lily and, finally, Kate as Sirius made the introductions. As the others moved further into the hallway, Alphard leaned down toward Kate and said, "And I am particularly pleased to meet _you_, my dear. My great-nephew has told me quite a bit about you."

Kate smiled in return. "I am so happy to meet you, Mr. Black. Sirius speaks so warmly of you I feel that I know you already."

"We'll be having none of this '_Mr. Black_' nonsense. That particular address belongs to my nephew, Orion – and I'd just as soon avoid any comparison to that _particular_ wizard, if you please!" Alphard situated Kate's hand in the crook of his arm and led her over to where the others were standing. Kate looked a smile over at Sirius, who was grinning widely at the pair of them. "Sirius, if you allow me the pleasure of escorting your young lady to the balcony, I promise to surrender her to you for the meal."

"Absolutely," Sirius said and fell in step with James and Remus as they made their way down the hall and out onto the huge balcony beyond.

"So that's Uncle Alphard," Remus whispered.

"Yeah; brilliant, isn't he?" Sirius replied.

Remus and James both nodded. "Totally brilliant. I've never seen a wizard his age in Muggle clothes – and bell-bottomed jeans, no less!" James' eyes were wide as he looked over at Alphard's current outfit. This morning, the older wizard had paired yesterday's jeans and sandals with a bright pink button-down cotton shirt.

The group approached the large table situated in the center of the balcony, in a spot that offered a beautiful, unobstructed view of l'Arc de Triomphe. The deep cherry table had been covered in a crisp, white linen cloth on which rested lovely china and cutlery place settings for the eight in attendance. Bowls of fresh fruit dotted the table with pitchers of thick, sweet cream resting nearby. Plates of flaky, buttery croissant were littered about the table and a platter of waffles had been placed in the center, beside a similar platter of crepes. Marie had provided pitchers of warm syrup, bowls of jams and jellies as well as pats of rich butter so that everyone could have their choice of toppings. There were omelets filled with a variety of cheeses, potatoes au gratin and crisp bacon, for those who preferred a more savory breakfast. Pots of tea, coffee and chocolate stood on a side table with pitchers of orange juice and milk for those who preferred a cold beverage with their meal. Charms had been placed to keep hot dishes hot and cold items chilled to their proper temperatures.

"Wow," James said as he looked 'round the table.

Alphard laughed. "Indeed. Sit down, everyone, please – and dig in, as they say. If there's something you'd like that you don't see, please let me know and we'll get it."

Sirius took a seat between Kate and Remus and leaned in toward the young werewolf who was eyeing his cutlery cautiously. "Stainless steel," he whispered. "Uncle Alphard refuses to use the real silver because it has the family crest all over it. Says it makes him too nauseous to enjoy his meals!"

Remus smiled broadly and with a bit of relief. "I understand why you like him!"

Over breakfast, Alphard traded Hogwarts stories with the students and assured them that he did, in fact, know Albus Dumbledore – had known him for many years, in fact. He also put paid to the rumor that he had been taught by Professor Binns – when the teacher still had his corporeal form. "Complete lie," he said, putting his hand over his heart. "I swear it!"

The elderly wizard gave Margaret the location of several of his favorite antique vendors, situated along the rue des Rosiers. "Bloody awful name, that," Sirius muttered so only Kate and Remus heard him. "It's in the Jewish Marais – lovely bookstores and bakeries. It's in the 5th quarter, however, so you will need to take the train." Remus' interest was piqued at the mention of the bookstores and Lily's expression reflected her delight at exploring heretofore undiscovered literary treasures.

"There is also quite a poignant memorial nearby – behind Notre Dame Cathedral. It commemorates the nearly six million Jews who were murdered by the Germans in the Muggle Second World War," Alphard's voice grew solemn as he spoke.

"Six _million_ people?" James was aghast. "What was the war about?"

"Racial superiority," Remus said, his voice like steel. "A man named Adolph Hitler rose to power on the theory that the German race was far superior to any other. Jews of all ancestry were considered the enemy – and completely responsible for all that was wrong with the world. Rid the world of Jews, he thought, and Aryan supremacy would be unquestioned. Hitler formed what came to be known as the Nazi Party and its army infiltrated all of Muggle Europe in the late 1930's through 1945. People disappeared almost as others were looking at them. Scores of Jewish families fled Europe for America before the war truly began. Others went into hiding throughout Europe, hoping to evade capture in the raids that were conducted quite regularly. Soldiers destroyed Jewish businesses and households, arrested innocents and sent them to prison camps where they existed in conditions that can only kindly be described as squalor. Children were separated from their parents and often sent miles away, only to be killed later on. Whole families were separated from each other. Men and women alike were murdered in gas chambers and shot in prison yards. All because they were considered too different to live; too lowly to be tolerated. The Americans and the Russians liberated the majority of the camps by the mid 1940's. There were comparatively few survivors and those who had lived through it came back to nothing; everything they'd worked for had been destroyed by the Nazis."

The silence that had fallen over the table while Remus spoke continued for some time after he finished.

Hal finally broke the stillness. "Adolph Hitler; Dark Wizard. Jews; Muggles. Nazis; Death Eaters."

"Discrimination and intolerance," Remus added softly.

"People disappearing, persecuted. Homes and businesses destroyed. Lives ruined by suspicion and hate," Lily added. "So many parallels."

"So many lessons to be learned," Alphard said, looking around the table. "The Jews who were annihilated over three decades ago did _nothing_ to earn their fate, but so many chose to believe that such terrible atrocities would not – _could not_ - be committed against them. They were reluctant to leave their homes, their lives – and start over again in a strange new place. As Hitler and his army gained footholds throughout Europe, many recognized the danger and tried to escape, but it was too late. We have begun to see signs of an uprising in our own world. We cannot stand by and deny these signs are there. We must acknowledge them and do all we can to stop their progress. We cannot allow another group of innocents to be slaughtered in the name of prejudice and arrogance. We must stand together; loyal to what we all believe in and unwavering in our support of that belief – and in each other." He stopped once again and took stock of the group around him. The elderly wizard smiled ruefully. "Alas, I have allowed my convictions to run away with what should have been a lighthearted gathering of friends – old and new. Please forgive an old man's rambling."

Hal shook his head. "There's nothing to forgive, Alphard. These young people are the future of our world. We cannot allow them to remain unaware of what's happening. Perhaps we have done so for too long as it is. We need to reaffirm their belief in what's right so they cannot be swayed by the more seductive powers embraced by others." His smile encompassed Sirius and, discreetly, Remus as he added, "People are not always who and what they seem. Those who would normally be associated with Darkness by virtue of birth or circumstances are often unfairly and incorrectly labeled. I don't think anyone at this table is apt to make that mistake – particularly after hearing your very meaningful words, Alphard."

"You are very kind, Hal," Alphard smiled. "But, I think our young friend Mr. Lupin was far more eloquent than I. It seems that you and I share a similar conviction, Remus."

Remus looked embarrassed. "I think everyone feels the same way," he demurred. "I would like to go and see the memorial, if we could fit it in."

Margaret nodded. "As would I, Remus. You all have a friend to visit, I believe. While you are at the hospital, perhaps Hal and I will wander about the local shops and then meet up with you when you're finished. If Alphard could give us the directions, we can do a bit of shopping for antiques – and books," she smiled at Remus and Lily, "and a bit of history."

_A bit of historical prevention, more like_. Sirius' expression was resolute as he rose from his chair and waited on the fringes of the group to bid his great-uncle goodbye.

"We'll wait for you downstairs then," Hal said after shaking Alphard's hand.

"I'll be right there."

When they were once again alone, Alphard hugged Sirius tightly then took a step back, keeping his hands firmly on the younger wizard's shoulders. "I know how tempting it is to rebel against some of the bindings that restrain us," he said, holding Sirius' gaze with his own. "I implore you to remember that while those bindings can chafe, they also _protect_. It is imperative that you refrain from snapping them, my boy. Those who would hurt you know your weaknesses – your temper, your rebellious nature and impatience chief amongst them. You've come through so much this year, Sirius. Do not allow yourself to play into their hands. Accept the protection given to you; if this Dark wizard continues to gather followers, we will need all of our powerful young witches and wizards to join in the fight later on. Do not take chances now – do we understand each other?"

Sirius nodded slowly. "And what about you, Uncle? What about those who would hurt _you_? You don't have anyone here to protect you and I…"

"…worry about me, as well?" Alphard finished, a soft smile playing about his mouth. "You, my boy, are at the very beginning of your life – with so many opportunities for adventure stretched out before you. Worrying about me is nothing more than a waste of the time you could be spending in pursuit of more exciting things."

"That's not an answer, Uncle Alphard," Sirius would not be swayed, but he added, "With all due respect."

"I suppose it's not. Consider _this_ my answer then: I have lived a good many years. I've seen and done many exciting and wonderful things. While I'm not quite ready to leave this realm, I will say that when my time arrives, I'll not be taking many regrets with me. I should like to see you grow up the rest of the way, of course – and perhaps see you and your young lady settled – with perhaps a few great-great nieces and nephews to entertain. I'm a realist, however, my boy and whilst not a Seer, I am doubtful that this will come to pass." As Sirius drew breath to protest, Alphard squeezed his shoulders lightly. "I am in good health, for a wizard of my age and I have no intention of allowing anyone to – what is it the Muggles say – 'catch me with my pants down'? Yes, that's it! Delightful turn of phrase they have!" When Sirius did not seem to share Alphard's enthusiasm for the witticism, the older man turned more somber as well. "Sirius, there's really no point in worrying about me. I am still a powerful enough wizard to take care of myself and I have the added benefit of having been on this earth long enough to have seen this sort of uprising before."

"Grindelwald," Sirius said quietly.

"Yes; Grindelwald. And it was as nasty an experience as you can imagine; ask Dumbledore – he was there as well. He defeated the bastard in the end," Alphard nodded. "Soundly, I might add. He deserves the accolades he received for his valor. That particular commodity – valor – was not in great abundance at that time. It has never been a dominant trait in our family, either. Remember well what we discussed last night. Remember what I told you about your father's family, in particular. They were an unpleasant lot and most remain so. For all my bluster, Sirius, I am too old to go off chasing Dark Wizards and engaging in battles. That's not to say that I won't do my part – just quietly, behind the scenes this time." The older wizard looked unblinkingly into Sirius' eyes for a few moments. "You should not fear for me, my boy as it will take your attention away from your own pursuits and will only make you paranoid and suspicious in the end. You can neither protect nor defend me from your castle in Scotland – and I don't require either effort from you. What I _do _need, as I've said, is to know that you are safe and learning all that you need to know for the battles that may come later on. Know your enemies, Sirius. I surely know mine – and can therefore take precautions to remain safe from them."

Sirius nodded, but a sense of disquiet had lodged itself firmly in the pit of his stomach. "I don't want anything to happen to you," he said stubbornly, "but I understand what you're saying. If I promise you to look after myself, not to take chances and to control my … weaknesses, will you promise me to do the same?"

Alphard drew the young man into a brief hug one more time before draping his arm across Sirius' shoulders and walking with him to the front door of the apartment. "I will promise you that I will not take foolish, meaningless chances and that I will owl often to assure you that I am well."

"I'll write back. I promise," Sirius said as Alphard opened the door for him.

Sirius picked up his backpack from the hallway table. "Thanks for everything, Uncle Alphard." He reached out and grasped the older wizard's arm for a moment.

"Thank _you_, my boy. Thank you for breathing some youth into this place, for introducing me to your friends. You all give me a great deal of hope for our future. Now, run along. They're all waiting for you. Safe journey, Sirius."

With that, Sirius walked out the door and rang for the lift. When it arrived, he turned and pressed the button for the Lobby. "Goodbye, Uncle," he said with a smile – and held Alphard's gaze until the doors slid to a close.

"Goodbye, my very dear boy," Alphard whispered, stepping back into his entryway and softly closing the door.

XXXXXXXX

Similar to St. Mungo's in London, the magical community in Paris was cared for by St. Gunhilda's Hospital. _Unlike_ St. Mungo's, however, as it was located in Magical Paris, there was no need to disguise its existence or location from passersby. The building, constructed completely of white, Italian marble, boasted 13 floors and stood majestically against the cool, Paris sky. The double doors were also made of the same blindingly white marble, intricately carved with a relief of. Gunhilda of Gorsemoor, the hospital's founder, dispensing medicine to a bedridden patient. The same magical properties found in wizard photographs had been applied to the relief and the scene was animated to show the hospital's founder sweeping into the room with a phial of potion, sitting gently on the side of the bed and helping the obviously desperately ill child to drink it. Once she had consumed the potion, the effects were instantaneous as the child smiled beatifically, hugging the healer tightly 'round the neck. After settling the child back against her pillows, Gunhilda rose and left the room. After a moment's pause, the scene began anew.

Sirius let out a low whistle. "Wonder what this _St_. Gunhilda did to get _that_ kind of showy display!"

Lily brushed by him and approached the door, tossing over her shoulder, "She cured dragon pox, you dolt! I swear, do any of you _read_?"

"Oi!" Remus protested.

"Oh, sorry – I wasn't including _you _…" Lily stopped mid-sentence as the door made a small tinkling sound – rather like a tiny music box – and began to shimmer. As the group watched, the shimmering effect intensified and in a moment, the door was gone and the pathway to the interior of the building cleared.

"Wow," Kate breathed.

"Come along," Remus suggested, herding them along with him. "We don't know how long this will last, do we?"

As they crossed the threshold into the cool interior of the hospital, a soft, feminine voice began to speak. "Welcome to St. Gunhilda's Hospital. All are welcome here." The hum of magic intensified and the students turned to see the door shimmer into being once again.

"I think we're supposed to start there," Remus said, gesturing toward a gleaming, circular stone desk in the center of the facility's atrium. Around it buzzed healers – easily recognized by their muted, lilac robes, caregivers, the magical equivalent of nurses, dressed in pale blue and balancing stacks of parchment - and all varieties of patients and visitors. The noise level matched the foot traffic and the group wove their way through the crowds until they'd reached the information desk.

After securing the floor and room number for Ofelia and her daughter, the group made their way onto an empty lift. Seconds later, they emerged to an area that was as peaceful and serene as the atrium had been chaotic. The lighting was softer and gentle music wafted through the corridor as they walked along, peering at door numbers to find the one occupied by their friend and her family. The air smelled sweet – reminiscent of talcum powder and baby lotion and happy, _cooing_ and _gurgling_ sounds reached them from beyond the open doors of the rooms they passed on their way.

"Here we are," Lily said, pausing on the threshold of the last door on the right. "Shall we?"

The friends quietly entered the room, finding it to be much larger than it appeared from their vantage point in the hall; in fact, it appeared to be more suite than single hospital room. Painted a soft peach, one side of the suite featured a large sofa with a low table situated in front. The wall beyond it was solid glass, affording the observer a very nice view of the Paris skyline. A partially open door stood just beyond the corner, next to which was a queen-sized bed, which quickly became the focal point for the visitors. Propped up against a seeming mountain of pillows, with hair neatly brushed and looking serene, Ofelia cuddled her tiny daughter.

"Finally! Come, meet my beautiful daughter," she said, beaming a smile at her friends.

True to form, both Kate and Lily moved forward quickly while the wizards hung a bit further behind. After the girls had exclaimed over the baby who was exactly as beautiful as her mother proclaimed her to be, James and Remus took their place, spending considerably less time examining the small bundle and more reacquainting themselves with Ofelia. Sirius lagged a bit in the background until Ofelia noticed and beckoned him forward. "Sirius, my dearest friend, please come and see Hélène. In so many ways, it's as if you already know her; you were the first to know _of_ her, after all."

Sirius walked slowly toward the bed. As happy as he was to see Ofelia again, he wasn't certain about this little being; she was, after all, the catalyst for so many things – good and bad – that had happened to him this past year. But then he was there, standing next to Ofelia's bedside, being handed this little life, wrapped tightly in a bit of yellow blanket. "Go on – take her," Ofelia urged quietly. "Hold her like this – _that's _right – she won't break, I promise you." And there she was – this tiny scrap of humanity with a tuft of light-colored hair and pink cheeks, settled safely in the crook of the young wizard's arm. Her long eyelashes were darker than the sparse hair on her head and they rested against her cheeks in dainty crescents. Her wee, bow-shaped mouth curled a bit as she dozed and one fist unfurled then clutched again. Sirius simply watched her, enchanted by this miniscule creature who, until so very recently, had been an intangible – a promise of something to come. Now, here she was. Suddenly, her mouth opened in a delicate yawn, she stretched a bit then opened her eyes; it took her a moment, but Hélène settled her gaze on Sirius' face and stared at him without blinking.

"What?" he asked softly. "Do I have my breakfast on my face or something?" Hélène merely blinked and continued her somber observation.

"I think she likes you," Ofelia said, smiling at them.

"_Big_ surprise," James snickered.

"She's a bit young to decide who she likes, isn't she?" Sirius deliberately ignored James.

"Not at all. Babies are very adept at sensing people who can be trusted – and those who can't." Ofelia paused and flashed a mischievous grin. "She _hates_ Michael's great aunt Gertrude. Odious woman – drips diamonds and virtually _bathes_ in that scent "My Sin"; we can smell her coming when she steps off the lift! She always talks very loudly to the poor baby and it frightens her." Ofelia dropped her voice to a whisper. "Poor Hélène was so startled yesterday that she – well, to be delicate – wet herself – and Aunt Gertrude – quite thoroughly. I don't think that woman will be visiting us anytime soon!"

Sirius chuckled and Hélène let out a small squeak. "Here," he said to Ofelia. "You'd better take her before she thinks I'm related to dear old Aunt Gertrude!"

But, Ofelia refused to take the baby from him. "She knows better – and you're doing just fine. Why don't you sit down," she invited, pointing to a chair a short distance from where he was standing. "You'll be more comfortable."

Sirius looked panicked for a moment as he considered the distance. "Carry her all the way over _there_?"

Ofelia rolled her eyes. "She can't be _that _heavy, Sirius; I'm sure you can make it if you focus."

Remus laughed out loud then went to fetch the chair for his friend. "Here you go, Padfoot."

"Very funny," Sirius sank slowly into the chair, careful not to jostle Hélène as he did so. "I have no idea if you'll be spending time with any of _them_ as you grow older, but if you _do_, you come straight to me first and I'll tell you what complete _tossers_ they are – just so you're prepared!"

"Nice language, Pads," James snorted, coming to peer over his friend's shoulder. "Blimey; she won't look away, will she?"

"Is my daughter being rude again?" A deep voice came from the door and soon, a smiling Michael Delacour strode into the room and dropped a kiss on his wife's cheek before coming around to say hello to the baby. "Yep, there's 'The Stare'," he confirmed. "Although I'm a bit miffed to think that she'd fix it on anyone other than her dear old Dad! Do you mind?" He asked Sirius, holding out his arms. The younger wizard shook his head – a bit gratefully – and surrendered Hélène to her father.

Once he'd settled himself at the foot of Ofelia's bed, Michael laid the baby in his lap and smiled at their visitors. "Thanks for coming to see us," he said warmly. "You all did so much to make sure we got to this point; I'm not sure I can ever thank you – particularly you, Sirius."

"I think anyone would have helped if they could have," Sirius replied, going to stand next to Kate and hoping his face didn't reflect the heat he felt there.

"I'm not sure that's true," Michael said. "Ofelia and I wanted very much to show our appreciation for your friendship in a very real way – by asking you to be Hélène's godfather. Unfortunately, my parents are sticklers for tradition in some ways and they have asked us to have a pair of cousins serve as godparents. Please know that if we had our way…"

Sirius shook his head. "You shouldn't cause problems in your family because of _me_," he said. "I've caused enough in my own to have made my quota there, I think. I really appreciate the thought, though." He smiled at Ofelia. "Even after everything you know about me, to think that you would have considered me means a lot."

"Well, you took care of her – of us – before she was born; we had every confidence that you would continue to do so afterward – if you'd had to do it. But, we want you to visit as often as you'd like – all of you – once we've finally settled in at home. I miss you all a great deal," Ofelia said her eyes bright.

"Of course," Lily spoke up. "But you're going back to school, yes?"

Ofelia nodded. "Beauxbatons," she confirmed. "But I will not be living at the school. Michael and I have a small cottage on his parents' estate. He will be attending university in Paris and will also be living at home. Hélène will stay with her grandmother – Michael's mother – during the day; she refused to even hear about a nanny to care for her."

"It's worked out well for you," Kate smiled. "I'm so very happy for you – for all of you."

Ofelia glanced up at Michael, her expression sad before she turned her attention back to Kate. "It has not come without some degree of sacrifice. My parents have decided that I have not exactly treated the name of Bullstrode in a very respectful way. I have brought dishonor to our family and compromised our reputation. They have, of course, disowned me." She stopped speaking for a moment and was obviously working to control her emotions. Michael patted her knee encouragingly. "While I do not appreciate their attempts to dictate my life, I will admit that it is a bit unsettling to have your family walk away from you."

Sirius nodded. "I know a bit about that. What makes up for it – for me, anyway – is finding a true family who loves me for who I am. You have that now, too."

"You've had a difficult time, my friend," Ofelia said softly. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be; I'm fine now. Better than fine. I'm not part of them anymore; that part of my life is over. I'll never go back there. I'll never let them get to me again." Sirius smiled at her. "Enough of that. Hélène doesn't need to hear all about the sick and twisted Blacks."

"Nope, just the prankster ones," James offered, neatly side-stepping Sirius' elbow.

"So, you are returning to Hogwarts this year?" Ofelia asked Sirius.

"Already returned," he said. "We all went back a little early this summer." His eyes swept over his friends in a silent request that they not expound on this fact; happily, they did not. Unhappily, Ofelia wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"All of you? Why?"

"Would you believe that James' parents got sick of having us underfoot?" Sirius asked.

"Given the fact that they're treating you to a long weekend in Paris? _No_."

"Fine. After my exit from Grimmauld, my father took my mother to a special hospital here in Paris. It's the sort of place they bring people with problems like hers – _mental_ problems – and work with them to see if they can get them under control. After she left, old Walburga expressed an interest in meeting with me. Understandably, I'm not interested in having that happen and, thankfully, Dumbledore agreed. With no apparent regard for the school, he generously included this crowd in his invitation to return early." Sirius smiled, hoping his abbreviated version of events had enough meat to satisfy Ofelia who had, after all, been exposed to enough of the Blacks – and general Pureblood behavior via her own family – and could easily surmise the rest. This time, the fates gave him his reprieve.

"A better summer than you would have had otherwise," Ofelia replied. "But it's a pity that Peter couldn't have made time to come with you today."

"We wanted him to come back to school early, as well; sent him an owl and everything, but his mum wouldn't let him leave Wales. He might come back a few days early next week, but that's about all he was allowed," James explained, grimacing at the thought of the whining they would need to endure.

"Wales?" Ofelia looked at them in surprise.

"Yeah…_Wales_," Sirius replied. "Some family thing. Old lady with cats if I remember right."

"Well, I don't know anything about cats, but Michael said he saw him in London last week," Ofelia said, looking over at the young man for confirmation.

"Yes, I recognized him from one of your previous visits; short boy, rather heavy-set, light-colored hair. I had stopped into the Leaky Cauldron for a quick lunch before I met with my advisor at University. I was sure it was him, but the place was rather dimly lit and I didn't notice him until just before I was ready to leave. I'm afraid I was running quite late by then and I didn't have the chance to stop and speak with him," Michael shrugged.

"Did you happen to see if he was with anyone?" Remus asked, curiously.

"I believe he _was_ with someone – a man, I believe. I had the impression it was his father, perhaps? The age seemed right, but, as I said, I was in a hurry and didn't pay much attention," Michael's voice was apologetic, then curious as he added; "Didn't he contact you?"

Sirius, James and Remus exchanged a look then Remus shook his head. "No, he didn't; at least we haven't heard that he tried. Perhaps there was a message that hasn't gotten to us, yet."

James shook his head. "And it wouldn't have been his father; he died and it's just Peter and his mother now."

Remus was quick to reply. "Well, no matter; I'm sure there's a logical explanation. Perhaps Peter was in a hurry, as well. His mother might have been waiting elsewhere for him and his time wasn't really his own. We'll find out soon enough."

The answering expressions on James' and Sirius' faces indicated that 'soon enough' was a relative term.

Hélène broke the brief silence with one or two small cries and Ofelia smiled. "It's getting close to her feeding time, I think." The friends responded by rising – the boys rather quickly – and making their good-byes to the young family. Ofelia shook her head in amusement.

"I hope that you'll come and visit us soon. We're going home tomorrow; I'll owl you the address so you can come anytime you're able." Ofelia hugged each of her friends in turn until only Sirius was left. The others discreetly withdrew to the hallway to wait for him and Michael – carrying the once-again dozing baby – joined them.

"So," Sirius said, standing awkwardly by her bed.

"So," Ofelia replied.

"I guess I'll be seeing you," he said. "But it will be strange not to see you at the castle."

Ofelia nodded, smiling even though Sirius could see tears in her eyes. "Who would have believed – when all this started - that I would get so emotional over the concept of _not_ seeing you with any predictable frequency?"

Sirius chuckled. "What can I say? I grow on you after a while!"

Ofelia gave a small laugh and reached for a tissue to dab at her eyes. "Yes, you certainly have done _that_." She paused for a moment then reached for his hand. "You are very important to me, my friend; very important. Please stay in touch – even if it's only by owl. I'd rather that you visited, however."

Sirius nodded, then leaned down and hugged the young witch warmly. "You're important to me, too. You take care of yourself – and that new baby of yours. I think she fancies me, you know!" He stood up straight and gave Ofelia a rakish wink, backing out of reach as she made to swat at his arm.

"You're incorrigible," she said, shaking her head at him.

"Just one of my many attractive qualities," he replied. Sobering, Sirius added, "Take care of her, Ofelia; make sure that she doesn't put up with the _shite_ that _we_ have, yeah? Don't let anyone teach her that the purity of someone's blood defines their value. You and Michael do better by her than our parents did by us." He raised his eyebrows then smiled when she nodded.

"I promise."

As Sirius turned and opened the door to the hallway, the sound of a baby's cry reached them. He turned back to Ofelia and grinned. "Well, either she's hungry or she just got a good look at James' hair!"

XXXXXXXX

"So, Peter was in London," James muttered to Remus and Sirius as the five friends waited for the lift that would take them to the hospital lobby. Lily, who was standing in front of the bespectacled wizard, sighed her impatience.

"No doubt dragged there by his mother," she commented. "Didn't you listen to Remus? He's right, you know. There could be any number of reasons why he was in London and didn't owl you."

Sirius looked over at Remus. "I don't know, Moony; there's something about this that doesn't seem right. He can't come to school early because his mother has him hogtied in Wales. Michael sees him in London – talking with some old bloke – in a back corner of the Leaky Cauldron and … no mum. Doesn't seem like she much dragged him, does it?" The lift arrived and they piled in, the car magically sizing to accommodate them comfortably.

"Peter's your friend, Sirius," Kate offered. "It could be that she _did_ drag him to London for some reason or other. He didn't actually tell you that she was keeping him in Wales until term started, so it could easily be that they both returned to London early – or on schedule, depending upon what the plans were. She could have dragged him out on errands and they met up with – an uncle or a cousin."

"Peter doesn't _have_ any uncles and this man sounded too old to be a cousin," Sirius said.

"Well, maybe Mrs. Pettigrew has a companion," Lily said as the lift doors opened and they stepped out into the bright lobby. "Maybe she was running errands and Peter was getting to know his mother's new … boyfriend."

James rolled his eyes. "I may be ill."

"It _does_ happen," Remus said. "Kate's mom found someone new, after all. I suppose Peter's mother could have done, as well."

"Still," Sirius wasn't quite ready to admit defeat. "Wouldn't his owl have mentioned something about it if she _had_?"

Even Remus fell silent at that and, in the next minute, the Potters were walking up to greet them and the conversation – for that moment anyway – was over.

XXXXXXXX

Reunited, the group chatted happily as they made their way to the Metro which would take them to the 4th arrondissment district – and the Jewish Marais. This, the most famous Jewish neighborhood in Paris, represented the cultural and historic richness of its people, who had lived there – on and off – since the thirteenth century. Scattered up and down the quaint, narrow rue des Rosiers, as well as on the many side streets, were Jewish restaurants, bookshops, boulangeries and synagogues. Passing one open door, the visitors paused at the rhythmic, almost musical sound of many voices, murmuring together in a tongue that was most foreign to their ears. "It's a _shtiebel_," Hal informed them, quietly. "A small prayer room. Lovely, isn't it?" The group continued down the streets, stopping here and there to enter one of the small bookshops or a tiny pottery and glass merchant. Finally, they stopped in one of the bakeries, taking away warm, fragrant Challah rolls and paper cups of rich coffee. Wandering along the rue des Rosiers, the street widened and Kate pointed out the majestic stone façade of Notre Dame Cathedral in the distance. Munching their snack, they walked along, anxious to visit the memorial about which Alphard had told them. On the way, they passed a Jewish trade school which bore a plaque with a message inscribed in French. Remus, fluent in the language, translated, _"To the memory of the Director, the Staff, and the Students of This School. Arrested in 1943 and 1944 by the Vichy Police and the Gestapo. Deported and Exterminated at Auschwitz only because they were Jews."_

"The cruelties man commits against himself," Margaret whispered.

The rest of their walk was completed in silence.

When they arrived at the vast courtyard and stood before the immense and stately Cathedral, they were struck by the sheer beauty of the Gothic architecture. Remus entertained them with the story of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", which Hal confirmed as a true story of a creature that had actually lived in the bell tower of the landmark. The theory in the wizarding world was that Quasi Modo, as he had come to be known, was not a deformed human as was the popular belief, but rather a troll who had failed to achieve the size and stature customary of his magical brethren. Banished by his tribe, he came to live at Notre Dame, falling in love with the beautiful Esmeralda – and meeting a predictable end at the hands of those who did not care to understand him. Choosing to bypass the bell tower, the Potters and their charges entered the cool stillness of the Cathedral itself and spent time taking in the beautiful stained glass windows and the creamy white marble statues – all amidst the soothing whispers of those who gathered before the many altars to offer their daily prayers. The experience proved calming for the magical visitors – particularly for Sirius, who carried with him the stories of annihilation and persecution told at breakfast and underscored by their stroll through the Jewish Marais and the memorial embedded in the wall of the school. Somehow, in this still and ancient place, his equilibrium had been restored; he might not share the beliefs of those who worshipped here, but he respected the faith that brought them – and the freedom, won for all – that allowed them to gather together to practice it. And Sirius could not deny that there was a _presence_ of some kind that drew these faithful, even though he did not understand what it was.

Walking out into the bright sunlight sometime later, Harold led them behind the great Cathedral, across rue de l'Archeveché, to Square de l'Ile de France. They made their way quietly through a small gate that led to the memorial they had come to see. Inside, were written the names of the German death camps where 200,000 French men, women and children – Jews and Christians – had been murdered. Each stood silently, contemplating the parallels between this horrific event and that which was shaping up in their own world – events which Muggles had already endured.

"Perhaps instead of looking down on Muggles, our world would do better to try to learn something from the wars they've fought," James commented softly.

"Perhaps we are, in a way," Harold replied. "All of this was the brainchild of a madman who took the fears of a certain class of people and capitalized on them for his own benefit: power. It is difficult for the masses to stop a madman once he has amassed a following. We are working to stop our particular madman – this Dark Wizard – before his followers grow too great in number. I won't say that this trip this morning has taught us anything tactical because it hasn't; the French did not recognize the monster quickly enough to strike it down early. What it _has _done – at least for me - is to strengthen my resolve to make certain _this_ does not happen – that it _never _happens – in our world."

As the group walked through the gate, Sirius glanced up over the door and saw a message written there. "Moony, what does it say?"

Remus read the words, then turned to his friend, "Forgive, but do not forget!"

Sirius stiffened, but relaxed when Remus draped his arm across Sirius' shoulders. "I think that the creators of the memorial meant it as a means to heal. Forgive those who murdered the innocents, but remember that it happened so you can prevent it in the future."

"How could anyone forgive the Germans for what they did?" the dark-haired wizard's voice was incredulous.

"Not all the Germans were guilty of the crime," Remus shrugged. "And some of those who were guilty participated because they – or their families – were threatened with harm if they did not. And some people believed that all of them had to be forgiven – even those who were guilty by choice – to allow the survivors to move on with their lives, to have _some _degree of happiness after such great loss."

"I don't know that I could have forgiven," Sirius said, shaking his head.

"I don't know that I could have forgiven them all," Remus said, squeezing his friend's shoulder. "Definitely not those who embraced Hitler's beliefs and tortured and killed people intentionally."

"Do you think people like James' father will be able to stop this Dark Wizard before he goes too far?"

Remus sighed. "Who can say? I'll wager when Dumbledore killed Grindelwald all those years ago, the wizarding world thought it would never happen again. And it looks like it is."

Sirius nodded. "'_Do not forget_,'" he said softly. "It would seem that we did."

"But now we remember. And perhaps we won't forget again." Remus looked through the gate where the others were standing, talking amongst themselves and waiting for the two young wizards to join them. "Come on, Padfoot; let's not keep them waiting any longer." Remus steered his friend through the gate.


	60. A Little Mystery A Little Romance

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Fluff, romance and some very tasteful intimacy.

Chapter 60 – A Little Mystery - A Little Romance

Although the historical lessons and parallels would remain with them and come to mind on many occasions in the future, Hal and Margaret informed the group that the remainder of their time in Paris would be focused less on the future and more on relaxing and the pursuit of more upbeat activities. Their plan was greeted with enthusiasm by the younger set and, over a more substantial lunch in a charming sidewalk café near Paul Bert Market, plans were made for activities over the remainder of the day and into the evening.

"Well, shopping, definitely," Kate said, earning a conspiratorial smile and nod from James' mother. "There are several shops along rue des Rosiers that looked interesting."

"Looking for anything special, Kate?" Lily asked, sipping her iced tea.

"For _someone _special, perhaps?" Sirius leaned over and kissed Kate's cheek, grinning rakishly at her as he sat back properly in his seat.

"Just browsing," Kate replied, patting Sirius' cheek. "Though I _did_ think that I might look for a little something to give to my mother as a wedding gift."

"What a nice thought, dear," Margaret said. "Paul Bert Market has some lovely ornaments and quite a collection of Primitive art, if that's something your mother enjoys. Rosiers Market has some very reasonably priced glasswork that you might like."

"We're finished here, mates," James rolled his eyes. "We're in _Muggle_ Paris – without a Quidditch shop in sight – with a bunch of _women_ who want to shop. Any suggestions, Dad?"

Hal finished the remainder of his wine and looked solemnly at the young wizards before him. "Gentlemen, I'm going to share with you a philosophy that has gotten me through many a similar situation over the years: smile, keep the complaining and eye-rolling to a minimum and, of course, carry the bags!"

While Margaret, Kate and Lily laughed heartily, James' mother was quick to release them from courier duty, saying that Hal had so much experience; he could certainly handle the load on his own. "I think that a little independence is in order – as long as you don't stray too far away. After all, this is your trip, as well – and it shouldn't be spent following us around all day. Hal?"

James' father glanced around the table. "Well, as long as you stay together and don't lose yourselves, I can't see the harm in it. I highly doubt that Walburga Black is lurking about rue des Rosiers looking for Sirius, after all!"

Sirius grinned – at the comment _and_ at the prospect of a little bit of freedom. "I can't imagine my mother willingly going anywhere near a Muggle neighborhood – even if I told her where to find me!"

Remus and James were looking at a tourist guide book that Remus had picked up earlier that morning from one of the book stalls. "It says here that if we continue up this street, we will come to the Rue de Rivoli where the Louvre museum is located."

"And this is interesting because…" Sirius leaned over Remus' shoulder to look at the book.

Remus swatted absently at his friend's head. "It has some very important paintings and sculptures, Sirius. And some beautiful gardens." At Sirius' muted groan, Remus said, "It's a nice walk - and a good way for us to stretch our legs."

Hal nodded. "If you boys want to head in that direction, I've no objection. Just keep your eyes open and let's plan to all meet back here in – what? – two hours?"

Everyone agreed and soon the little party scattered to pursue their own interests.

"Moony, I can't see the attraction of spending two hours yawning at paintings and sniffing flowers in some French Muggle garden," Sirius grumbled as the three young wizards set a brisk pace along rue de Rivoli. "There's got to be more exciting things to see than that, mate; this is _Paris_, after all!"

James nodded. "I've got to agree, Remus."

"I don't remember saying anything about actually going _into_ the museum – although it wouldn't hurt either one of you to expose yourselves to a little bit of culture," Remus half-frowned at them.

"Well _that _hurt," Sirius said, clutching his chest and grinning at Remus. "Listen, Moony, I've spent my whole life with people who tried to shove 'culture' down my throat. They didn't get very far with it and I'm afraid you won't, either. _Come on_, boys; are we not _scandalizingly_ handsome young wizards with all of Paris at our feet?"

"I don't even think '_scandalizingly_' is a word," Remus said, smiling at his friend's enthusiasm – grammatically incorrect as it might have been.

"No? Well, it should be. It fits us! Now, listen; we've all brought a bit of money. Let's do something a little more exciting – _without_ putting ourselves in excessive danger. Let's get on that underground tube thingy and go up to that big tower Ofelia told us stories about."

"The Eiffel Tower?" Remus clarified.

"Is that what she called it? It's big and you can go all the way up to the top. I remember Ofelia saying that you could practically see the entire city from up there."

James had his nose buried in the guide book again. "Pads, that's all the way over in the first quarter; we're in the 4th. Don't you think it's a little far to go? Dad seemed pretty determined that we stay a little closer to the rest of the group."

Sirius felt his irritation rise; he was chafing to do something _memorable_ while here. He had his friends back, he was no longer tied to Grimmauld Place; a bit of harmless adventure to celebrate all that had finally turned around in his world didn't seem like an unreasonable request to make. But then he remembered: it was this sense of adventure – given free rein when caution should have ruled the day – that had caused so many problems for him in the past. The Potters had given him an enormous gift - acceptance, and had asked for so little in return: caution, thought before action. And Uncle Alphard; Sirius had promised him that he wouldn't take unnecessary chances. It was time to live up to those promises. Sirius turned to his friends. "Ok, then. Let's find something we can do that won't involve girly pursuits or take us too far from where we should be." He paused, taking in his friends' surprised looks. "But fair warning – it had better be _good_! I _really_ wanted to go to the top of that tower!"

James looked up from the book and gave the other wizard a huge grin. "I think I might have just the thing, Pads. Come on!"

As it turned out, James was as good as his word. The three young wizards made their way along the rue de Rivoli, walking for several blocks before James stopped before a large building fronted by a huge courtyard. As he explained when asked, this was Place de la Hotel de Ville, the location of Paris' City Hall. Then, he took a disappointed Sirius by the shoulders and turned him around to see the tall building situated directly across the street.

"I could have gone _shopping_ with the girls, Prongs," Sirius said.

"Shut it, you – and follow me." With that, the three friends went inside the building and took the lift to the top floor. Looking around, James spotted the door he was looking for and, pushing it open, he revealed a short staircase. "Coming?"

Remus and Sirius exchanged a shrug but, curious as to what their friend had in store for them, they followed him upward. When they walked through the door at the top of the staircase, Sirius was delighted to find that they were on the terrace rooftop of the department store. From this vantage point, they could see the roof of Hotel de Ville, its immediate surroundings and the Seine, far below, flowing calmly along. Sirius moved over to the low wall and braced his hands on top, leaning forward and scanning the scene below with interest.

"Not quite as high as the Eiffel Tower," James observed.

Sirius turned around, leaning back on his elbows. "It's high enough for now, Jamie. And closer than the Eiffel Tower, which is where we're supposed to be." He grinned at his friends then inclined his head toward a small table with four chairs tucked away in the far corner. "Let's sit for a bit."

Once they were situated on the somewhat rickety wooden folding chairs, Sirius leaned in toward his friends. "Jamie, do you think your parents would go along with us going off on our own tomorrow evening?"

"Dunno, Pads. What've you got in mind?"

"I want to take Kate out for dinner someplace a bit grander than Hogsmeade. It's the first chance I've had to do anything like this and she's done so much for me over the past – well, since I met her really, but especially over the past few months," Sirius explained. "I was actually thinking that I might take her to dinner in the hotel restaurant and then maybe to go the top of the Arch – just have some time alone."

"I think Mum and Dad were planning to have us all eat dinner together tonight; Dad's got some restaurant picked out – he's being a bit mysterious about it all. Dead annoying, really," James replied, shaking his head. "If we all stick together tonight, it might be easier for us to make a case for doing something up on our own tomorrow."

Both boys glanced over at Remus, well aware of the fact that fulfilling their own wish to spend time alone with their respective girlfriends would result in stranding their friend, who was not paired off with someone of his own. They were therefore somewhat surprised when said friend looked at them with a sly smile.

"If there's anything I can do to help you, you've only to ask," he said.

"Sick of us already, Moony?" Sirius asked, eyebrows raised.

"Not exactly."

"Got a bird stashed somewhere and neglect to tell your best mates?" James guessed, grinning evilly.

"Oh, yes – because _that _would have been so easy, wouldn't it?" Remus shook his head. "No, there's no woman in hiding."

"What, then?" James asked. "Why are you so anxious to be shod of us?"

"Well, I'm afraid that after your rather far-fetched guesswork, you'll think it's very dull," Remus said, faint color coming into his cheeks.

"_Out_ with it, for the love of Merlin!" Sirius cuffed the young werewolf lightly on the back of his head.

"I thought that if everyone else was occupied, I might slip over to the Opera and -," he was cut off by the astonished cries of his friends.

"Oh, _Moony_ – don't tell us you actually _listen_ to that stuff," James sat back in his chair, face registering his shock.

"My _father_ used to take me sometimes – when I was younger," Remus defended, lifting his chin and meeting his friends' gaze. "I'll have you know that it's actually very good – very powerful."

"It's screaming set to music," Sirius nodded, folding his arms across his chest. "Oh yes – I was dragged once, completely against my will, mind. Unless the Muggle version is different than the Wizard Opera, I'm telling you it's an experience I wouldn't repeat. And – it's not in English, either," this last said with an air of finality – as if the use of a foreign language was enough to prove him right.

Remus barely stifled a laugh at the expression on his friend's face. "There's no difference between Muggle and Wizard Opera," he stated. "At least insofar as the drama and singing are concerned. Wizard Opera tends to have more effects because they use magic during the performance."

"No doubt; that must be what keeps the audiences awake," James offered, snickering. "They must have a bloke with a wand off to one side of the stage. When he sees someone nodding off, he sends a little prodding hex his way. Wakes 'em right up!"

Even Remus was forced to laugh. "Listen, mates; poke fun all you want – but my appreciation for Opera – in _any _language – is going to make it much easier for you two to be alone with the girls, isn't it?"

Sirius and James sobered instantly. Remus was right.

"Ah," Remus smiled, rising. "Just realizing that it's not wise to look a gift werewolf in the mouth, are we?"

Surprised though they were at hearing Remus even remotely mention the wolf in jest, the two wizards hastened to agree. "Thanks, mate," James murmured, pushing his chair back in place beneath the worn table. Sirius mirrored his actions then slung his arm over Remus' shoulders. "Yeah, Moony – thanks."

The trio made their way down the short flight of stairs and into the lift for the return trip to the market to rejoin the others. As he punched the button for street level, Sirius looked up at his friend. "You're wrong about one thing, though, Moons."

"Really? And what's that?"

"Can't look _you_ in the mouth. You're taller, after all."

The lift doors closed on Remus' amused eye roll.

XXXXXXXX

The group reconnected at the same café where they enjoyed lunch earlier in the afternoon. Hal was, true to predictions, weighed down with the bags and assorted bundles taken away from various shops by the ladies. He professed his undying gratitude to the three young wizards as they lifted bags away from him.

"They have absolutely no restraint," he commented, eyes twinkling in the direction of his wife. "Especially that one in yellow over there. Shameful, really!"

"Oh, you poor, long-suffering man," Margaret shook her head at her husband. "I'll strike you a bargain: we'll go back to the apartment now and you can get some much-needed rest before dinner. No more shopping today."

"And we won't even ask you to lift a finger to help us with dinner tonight, Mr. Potter," Lily said, patting his arm. "You leave everything to us."

"Ah, well, I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear. Dinner this evening is a bit of a surprise – from Mrs. Potter and me to you. Sort of an end-of-holiday treat, if you will. We've always done something similar with James and now we are delighted to be able to include all of you, as well," Hal's smile was genuinely warm as he looked over the group before him. "But I'll let you spoil me at breakfast tomorrow, if you insist! Come along, then!"

As they walked along toward the Metro stop, Lily leaned over to James. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

James shook his head. "Only that he's very excited about doing something special for all of us. We're all getting older and soon will be out on our own and all of that," he waved his hand around to illustrate his point.

"But, James; this trip alone is very special. We can't let your parents do so much for us. Doing something for you makes sense; you're their son, but we …," Lily protested, voice trailing off.

"But _you _are all very important to me and so to them, as well. Look, Lils; my parents probably would have loved a dozen kids, but that didn't happen for them. They're never happier than when you all are around. I sort of brought it up when I spoke with them before we left Hogwarts. He threatened to come through the Floo and thrash me with the evening edition of the Daily Prophet!" After waiting for Lily's giggles to subside, James continued, "They love you guys and Lily; I particularly want them to get to know you – which they _also _want to do. See? It works out all 'round." The redhead nodded, her cheeks stained with color, but she did not otherwise reply.

"Care to be my date for the evening, Ms. Morgan?" Sirius squeezed Kate's hand gently as they walked down the steps that led to the Metro station. The cool, dank air assailed their nostrils as they approached the turnstiles and Kate's face reflected her reaction. Sirius leaned back and looked at her. "I hope that's not your answer!"

Kate laughed. "Hardly." They slid through the turnstiles and approached the track before she answered. "I would love to be your date this evening, Mr. Black."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her cheek gently. "Thank you."

The silver, cylindrically shaped train glided to a stop and the doors placed at regular intervals along its body snapped open. It was as if a sea of humanity had been propelled forward on a single, giant rubber band as passengers poured from the train in an apparent race for the street above them. The small group of witches and wizards jumped away from the crowd, waiting until it thinned enough for them to board. Even so, few seats remained and the students insisted that James' parents settle into the two nearest them while they, stood and clung to the metal poles – and each other. It wasn't long before they arrived at their destination and were soon walking up into the fresh air and sunshine. Once on the street, the group walked to the Arc and toward the portal that would take them back into the magical section of Paris. Hal stood in the midst of the group and quietly cast shrinking charms on the shopping bags to make the transition through the marble arch more fluid. Then, keeping watch, he coordinated the exit of each of the members before he, himself - with a final glance around him – walked into the archway and through to the other side.

"Ah, here we are," Hal said, smiling again. "I believe I was promised a rest before dinner. I think I'll take you up on that promise!"

"Shouldn't you tell them where we're going, Hal?" Margaret smiled fondly at her husband.

James' father pretended to give the matter some thought before shaking his head. "No; no, I don't believe I should," he said. "But I _will _say that you should wear something nice – Muggle dress is fine - and bring along a warm sweater or jacket."

"I'm not sure I brought anything like that with me," Lily mused, mentally reviewing the contents of her wardrobe.

"No matter, darling; you pick out what you'd like to wear and I'll transfigure something for you," Margaret said, putting her arm about the young woman's waist and steering her in the direction of the hotel. "You, too, Kate!"

"Is it very far to walk?" Sirius asked, attempting – quite obviously – to glean more information from the older wizard.

"If one was not used to walking, I would say that it might be considered far," Hal replied with a wink.

"I give up!" Sirius shook his head and took Kate's hand once again. As they crossed the street and approached the door to the hotel, they heard James' petulant voice from behind them,

"But I'm your _son_, for the love of Merlin! I might have thought you'd have told _me_!"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh and held the door for Kate to go inside. "Nice try, Prongsie," he chortled quietly as his mate crossed in front of him a moment later.

"Shut it, you!"

XXXXXXXX

Sirius closed the bedroom door behind him and stepped into the common area. Seeing none of his friends about, he walked along the corridor into the living area, deciding to wait on the terrace for the others. After all the time his parents kept him confined in Grimmauld Place, Sirius would always choose to be in open, unenclosed spaces – outdoors if at all possible. The terrace fit the bill perfectly. As he approached the doors, Sirius stopped and a gentle smile crossed his handsome face.

_Kate._

Sirius moved to ensure he could not be seen as he took in the sight of the young witch seated on the cushioned swing. She wore a sundress in a lovely shade of coral, the color complimenting the deep auburn of her hair and accentuating the light tan she had acquired during their time in Brighton. Her lovely eyes were calm as she looked out on the rooftops of the city stretched before them. _And this beautiful creature loves _me, Sirius thought to himself in wonder. _I can't imagine what I've done to deserve it and I know that there are people who would say that we are far too young to know that this is real – but I don't care about any of it. This. Is. Real. And I'm going to make sure that nothing comes between us again._ He took a step forward and quietly turned the brass handle, slipping onto the balcony. The quiet _click_ of the latch behind him drew Kate's attention and Sirius' heart leapt at the soft curve of her smile and the warmth reflected in her eyes as she saw him. Kate patted the seat cushion next to her then returned her gaze toward the city.

"The Arc is so beautiful," she said. "Did you know that you can stand at the top and see the whole of the Champs Elysees?"

"_You're_ beautiful," Sirius whispered, taking her hand in both of his. "And I don't want to look at anything but you."

Kate blushed and turned toward him. Leaning over, she placed a very soft kiss on his lips, not pulling away when she felt Sirius' hand cup her cheek as he increased the pressure of his lips on hers. When he pulled back, he kissed her cheek then her lips once more before sitting back and capturing her hand again. "I love you," he said.

"I love you back," came the response as Kate adjusted her position so she could lean against his side. "And you look very handsome as well."

Sirius looked down at the tan trousers and black dress shirt he'd chosen and smiled. "I bought this to irritate my parents," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "It's one of my favorite outfits."

Kate laughed. "Well, I'll admit that it's one of mine, but for decidedly different reasons." At his raised eyebrow and crooked grin, she continued. "You're one dead sexy wizard, Mr. Black."

Kate was surprised to see a bit of color come into Sirius' face as he replied. "Well, as long as _you_ think so, then I guess that's alright."

Kate smiled. "I do; and do you know something else? I don't really care how many other witches think the same thing about you. Let them look and ogle all they like; I know you're _mine!_"

Sirius smiled. _We really _have _come a long way._ "I _am_ yours. Completely. Totally. And _you're mine_. And _no one_ is going to come between us."

"Kiss me," Kate turned her face up and Sirius searched her eyes for a moment before kissing her deeply. When they finally needed to breathe, Sirius pulled back, but only slightly. "Always," he whispered against her lips.

"Always."

"I'd tell you to get a room, but I know you've got one," James came out onto the terrace a few minutes later, followed by Lily and Remus. Kate had resettled on the swing, once again leaning against Sirius.

"We're just sitting here waiting for you lot," Kate said, rolling her eyes at Lily's knowing smile. The other young witch had chosen a strapless, apple green sundress which set off her eyes beautifully. James was wearing a pair of black dress slacks and a white shirt and, together, the couple looked very smart, indeed. Remus, who brought up the rear of the arriving friends, sported navy trousers and a lightweight cream jumper and turned the color of Lily's hair when Kate complimented him on his appearance.

"Face it, Moony," Sirius drawled. "You clean up very well!"

"Thank you," he managed. "But I think we all look rather good tonight."

"I agree," came a light voice from the doorway and the young people turned to see the Potters stepping out onto the terrace. They, too, had opted for Muggle attire: Hal wearing dress slacks, an open-necked shirt and a jacket while Margaret wore a lovely scarlet-colored summer dress with matching pumps and a lacy black shawl. She took a pale peach sweater from over her arm and handed it to Kate. "Here you are, darling; this will look lovely with that dress should you need to put something over your shoulders later on." Turning to Lily, she handed her a white jacket with green trim that matched her dress. "This should do nicely for you, dear." Suitably provided for, and the girls having thanked Margaret warmly for her transfiguration skills, the group turned toward Hal expectantly.

"Are we ready, then?" he asked, still disclosing nothing – but chuckling at the collective groan. "Come along, family; all will be revealed soon enough…."

Abandoning all attempts to guess their destination, the group walked along, chatting amongst themselves, enjoying the warm, early evening air. They went through the Arc connection into Muggle Paris and it wasn't long before they arrived at the Metro station. Given the early hour, there were few passengers and their ride was uneventful. This time, as they ascended to street level, they spared no more than a glance at their host, resigned to the fact that he would divulge his surprise in his own good time – and very probably only when they were standing in front of wherever he had chosen. They really hadn't long to wait as a short while later, Hal stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Here we are," he announced, gesturing behind him. The group looked up – and up, smiles splitting their faces - to find themselves standing directly in front of the Eiffel Tower. Remus leaned over and clapped Sirius on the back. Indeed, Sirius' smile was bigger than anyone's as he realized that he just might have the opportunity to do the very thing he had longed to do – and without breaking promises or rules.

"Shall we?" Hal held his arm out to shepherd them along. "We have reservations for the second floor restaurant. It's not quite the top of the Tower, but I think you'll find that it has a lovely view."

"Thank you," Sirius said, putting his hand on Hal's arm as he passed.

Hal patted the younger wizard's hand affectionately. "Don't thank me yet, son. Wait to see if you've had a good time before you do that!"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't have to wait." And with a smile, he took Kate's hand and followed Remus, James and Lily toward the foot of the Tower.

Behind them, Margaret reached up and cupped her husband's cheek, leaning up to kiss the corner of his mouth softly.

"What?" he asked, settling her hand in the crook of his arm and walking slowly with her toward the younger set.

"You look like a young boy at Christmas," she replied.

He chuckled. "That obvious, am I?"

"Mmm, well – to me, at any rate."

"We have been very lucky in our lives, Margaret and our good fortune should be shared. To be able to do something like this for these young people is a gift. We don't know how quickly we will all be called upon to fight to keep the darkness at bay. Just for tonight - while we can – let's let all of that go and simply focus on having a wonderful time. Don't you agree?" He smiled warmly.

Margaret kissed his cheek. "Absolutely. You're a wonderful man, Harold James Potter – and I love you very much."

"Hungry, everyone?" Hal called out as they approached the group and he pushed the button to summon the lift. At their unanimous confirmation, they waited for the occupants of the lift to depart before taking their place. When the lift doors next opened, all the chatter that had filled the small compartment came to an immediate halt.

Kate knew that if she lived to be one hundred years old, she would never forget the sight that greeted her as the doors slid silently apart. The restaurant was encased entirely in glass, the intricate lattice work of the Tower's structure framing individual windows from the outside. Paris lay before them, the late day sun bathing the ancient buildings and monuments in a fiery glow that extended to their party as they stepped into the richly appointed foyer of the restaurant.

"Monsieur Potter?" The maitre'd, resplendent in a crisp suit, smiled at the group and led them to a table on the far side of the room. From this vantage point, they could see the architecturally maligned Palais de Chaillot with its sculpted grounds and curved wings which seemed to embrace the shadow of the Tower. Beyond lay the Bois de Boulogne with its lakes, amusement park – complete with menagerie and, as was rumored, its bevy of prostitutes that strolled the walkways at night. In this light and to the young people gazing upon them for the first time, only the beauty of these Paris landmarks could be seen. Hal and Margaret watched them affectionately as they peered around each other to see all that the restaurant's outstanding view had to offer.

"Bonsoir; may I offer you something to drink?" A young waiter appeared at their table, addressing Hal.

With a cautious glance at his wife, Hal nodded. "Champagne all 'round, please. And water," he added. "Just in case."

Margaret raised an eyebrow. "Champagne?"

"What are we celebrating, Dad?" James asked, looking at his parents.

"Life," Hal replied. "It is a celebration of its own." When they all had their glasses in hand, Hal raised his. "Cheers!"

"Cheers," came the answering comment.

"One more," Sirius said before anyone could put down their glass. "The Potters – the best family a bloke could choose. Thank you for bringing us to Paris."

"The Potters," they replied, smiling as everyone drank once more.

"It is my pleasure. Now then," Hal said. "Is there anything in particular anyone doesn't like or can't eat?" When no one came forward with anything, he continued. "Then, if you prefer, I can order dinner for us all. I've eaten here before, you see."

The group readily agreed with the proposal and when the waiter returned, Hal placed their order then settled back with the others to enjoy the view and await the arrival of dinner.

Sirius moved a bit closer to Kate and put his arm around the back of her chair. "You can see for miles," he commented, again focused on the view.

"Wait until it gets a bit darker," Margaret advised. "The lights come on all over the city and it's just breathtaking from here."

The waiter arrived with their first course: lobster bisque which no one but the Potters had tasted before. Remus and Sirius picked up their spoons hesitantly while giving the creamy, pale orange mixture a very suspicious look.

"Mmm, this is delicious," Kate said. She glanced over at Sirius then nudged him with her elbow. "Give it a try. You'll like it."

"Together, then," Sirius murmured to Remus and the two wizards took cautious spoonfuls. Prepared to hate it, they were both pleasantly surprised.

"Not bad," Sirius offered, spooning a rather large piece of lobster claw into his mouth. "Who knew such ugly little blighters could taste so good?"

Hal coughed as the laugh he attempted to smother caused a bit of broth to slide down the wrong way. Once he'd recovered, he winked at Sirius. "I said almost the same thing the day Margaret served this to _me _for the first time."

Margaret smiled. "Yes, dear; as I recall, however, your choice of language was far worse than Sirius'."

The meal progressed through prime rib of beef au jus with garlic roasted potatoes and fresh baby asparagus, followed by a small salad and finishing with small portions of lemon sherbet – "To cleanse the palate," Margaret advised them.

They soon discovered what their palates were being cleansed for when the dessert cart arrived. Hal and Margaret ordered an assortment: Napoleons, chocolate éclairs, apple tarte tartin, Cherry Clafoutis and, of course, chocolate mousse – so that all could try a variety of the rich confections. With the desserts, the Potters ordered a pot of rich, strong coffee.

While the chocolate mousse received rave reviews, in the end, the group could not choose a favorite. As they savored their coffee, Lily declared herself very happy that she had chosen a dress as she couldn't imagine trying to button anything around her waist after such a feast.

"This has been a wonderful evening," she said to James' parents. "We really can't thank you enough for being so generous and kind to us."

Kate nodded. "You are very special people; 'thank you' doesn't seem to cover our gratitude, I'm afraid."

Remus put his hand on Margaret's arm. "We are very lucky; thank you so much."

Margaret's eyes grew bright and she dabbed the corners with her napkin. "If you children ruin my make-up, I'll have to think of some suitable punishment."

Everyone chuckled appreciatively. Hal settled the bill then stood. "The evening isn't over quite yet," he said. "Come with me."

Everyone rose and followed Hal to the lifts. They waited for approximately fifteen minutes then stepped onto the empty lift that arrived. The group chatted amongst themselves, paying no attention to their environment – until the lift stopped and the doors opened. It was obvious that they hadn't headed down to the exit, as the younger people had assumed they were doing. Instead, they stepped out – it seemed – onto the top of the world. The area where they stood was encircled in glass, as was the restaurant far below them. There were, perhaps, a dozen other people milling around, standing at the edge of the platform and leaning as far forward as the glass would allow.

"There's another floor, just above, that has no glass – only fencing. The staircase is just here," a uniformed man with excellent, though heavily accented English gestured to a doorway just beyond where they were standing.

"Shall we?" Sirius motioned for Kate to go first, but she shook her head.

"I'm really fine here," she said. "I like the glass between me and – well – the _ground_, I suppose."

"A bit nervous about heights, Kate?" Remus walked over to stand beside her.

"I never have been, but I'm feeling a little odd at the moment," she confessed. "You go on and have a look, though," Kate added to Sirius.

"I'll stay," Remus offered, smiling. When Kate took a breath to protest, he leaned down and said quietly, "We can feel a little odd together, then. I've _always _been a bit nervous about heights. Takes a lot of steeling for me to get on a broomstick, I can tell you!"

Kate returned his smile. "You intrepid folk go on up. Remus, I saw a gift shop down on the second level, near the restaurant. Care to explore a little closer to the ground?"

Sirius gave her a quick hug, checking again to make sure she was ok before dashing up the small staircase after James. "I won't be long," he called over his shoulder.

"Stay away from the edge," Kate called after his disappearing form.

Kate began to feel better as the lift descended and by the time they had arrived back on the second level, she was back to herself again. Remus accompanied her into the gift shop and they amused themselves by pointing out the more garish novelty items stacked in neat little rows along the shelves. Remus showed her a brightly colored button that proclaimed, "I climbed the Eiffel Tower" in French. Kate laughed. "Look for one that says, '_I turned green when I stood on top of the Eiffel Tower!'_ That's the one I'll buy!"

Finally, they settled on a few post cards that showed various views of and from the Tower and Kate found a coffee mug with the same view they enjoyed from their dinner table. Their timing was excellent as they had no sooner finished paying for their treasures than the rest of their party trooped in behind them, windblown but very happy to have completed their daring adventure. It had grown dark and the stars hung brightly in the midnight blue sky. With one final look, the group piled into the lift once again – this time pressing the button that would take them to the ground.

They walked at a leisurely pace to the Metro stop, James and Sirius regaling Remus and Kate with their experience on the very top of the tower. There was much laughter and warmth as the little group arrived back at the Arc and returned to Magical Paris. As they walked into the apartment, Sirius, Remus and James asked to speak privately with Hal, avoiding the girls' questioning gaze. Margaret shepherded the girls onto the terrace while Hal and the boys settled themselves in the study.

"What can I do for you?" Hal asked, gesturing for the three friends to sit on the sofa opposite his chair.

"Actually, you and Mum have really done a lot," James began, smiling over at his father. "Tonight was great."

"I don't really think you asked me in here to thank me again," Hal leaned forward, returning his son's smile.

"No, actually. Listen, Dad; we wondered if perhaps you and Mum might not agree to let us sort of go off on our own tomorrow afternoon and evening. You know – our last night in Paris and all that. It would give you and Mum a chance to have some time alone and …" James' voice trailed off as his face colored appreciably.

"…and you and Sirius would have some time alone with _your _young ladies," Hal finished, shrewdly – and with the barest flicker of a glance toward Remus. Despite Hal's discretion, however, Remus caught it.

"Mr. Potter, I know that you're probably wondering what I'd do with myself if James, Lily, Sirius and Kate went off on their own," Remus paused to give Hal the chance to correct him. When the older wizard remained silent, he continued, "To tell you the truth, I'm actually glad that they've suggested splitting up. I would very much like to attend the Opera tomorrow evening, if you agree to our plan; and really, can you see either of _these two_ sitting through the performance with me?"

Hal looked over at James and Sirius and shook his head. "I can't imagine them making it through the overture," he commented, ignoring the snorts and false protests coming from their direction. "Would you object to company?"

Remus' eyes widened. "Not at all, sir."

"To tell _you _the truth, I met James' mother at the Opera – in London, of course. We're no experts in it, and we don't go very often, but every now and again we find the time to indulge our memories. If you didn't mind, it might be very nice to take in tomorrow evening's performance – if Margaret agrees, of course."

Remus smiled. "I'd like that; I just assumed that you would prefer to do something on your own, as well. Your holiday has been rather taken up with the bunch of us, after all."

Hal leaned over and patted Remus' arm warmly. "And we wouldn't have it any other way. You're all growing up and will soon be off on your own. These opportunities won't present themselves nearly as often as we'd like. We should take advantage of them while we may." He sat back in his seat and regarded the other two. "Now, as for your plans; you'll not go haring off through the streets of Paris getting into all sorts of mischief, will you?"

"Dad, can you really see Lily allowing me to 'hare off' _anywhere_?" James asked dryly.

"It's true, Mr. Potter; that woman has him on a _very _short lead," Sirius offered, ducking his friend's intended swat to his head. "But really, I want to take Kate to dinner here at the hotel and then, perhaps to Muggle Paris for a bit. I was planning to stay close by, not far from the Arc, actually."

"And I want to take Lils to that restaurant down the street that's attached to the cooking school," James said, frowning at Hal's laughter.

"Do you mean the Magical Culinary Arts Academy?" his father clarified, still chuckling.

"Yeah, that place," James said. "They say it's really classy and I want to show Lily that I can be … that she's …" he exhaled sharply. "That I don't just think about Quidditch all the time!"

"Well, then, I don't see anything wrong with either plan," Hal said. "As long as you both remember to be back here no later than midnight and that you don't stray more than a block or two beyond the Arc. Remus, I'll speak with Margaret tonight and we can talk again over breakfast, yes?" The young werewolf nodded and all four men rose to rejoin the ladies.

"Sirius, may I have a word?" Hal laid a hand on the younger wizard's shoulder. "We won't be long," he said to James and Remus, who had paused by the door. With a nod, the two friends left, closing the door behind them.

"What is it?" Sirius felt a moment of worry that perhaps Hal had changed his mind about allowing him a bit of freedom the following evening. He was putting a great deal of effort into not fidgeting as he waited for the older wizard to speak.

"You know that Dumbledore specifically asked for us to accompany you here due to the recent incident with your cousin – as well as your mother's profession of interest in making contact with you." At Sirius' nod, he continued, "We have not seen anything unusual since arriving and I have no expectation that will change. That said, however, when you have been outside of my company, you have either been with two friends – or with your uncle. There was little opportunity for someone to approach you successfully. Tomorrow, that will be a different matter. You are a very capable wizard, and you will be in the company of a very capable witch – one about whom you feel very deeply. I will not curtail your plans, but I'm going to ask that you maintain a heightened sense of awareness of your surroundings as you venture beyond the barrier between our world and the rest of the city. I also am going to let you borrow something that will give you a bit more protection should you find yourself in any difficulty. Please remind me tomorrow before we all scatter and I'll give it to you then. Are we agreed?"

Sirius nodded. "Thanks. I was afraid that maybe you'd changed your mind about tomorrow night."

Hal put his arm around the boy's shoulders and they walked together toward the door. "No, son; I have no intention of doing that. If I take away what means the most to you – your freedom – then they've already won, haven't they? And that they will never do!"

Sirius smiled and together, he and the man who had become more father to him than his own ever would, went out to join the rest of the group.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, breakfast was eaten quite a bit later than usual. The group had stayed up chatting about the evening until quite late and no one was in a rush to rise as a result. Hal had spoken with Margaret and they were delighted to accompany Remus to the Opera that evening. Remus, for his part, was very happy to have someone with whom to share the evening and he planned to include a stop at the Opera House in his afternoon activities so that he could pick up their tickets.

James and Sirius put up with the curious stares from their respective girlfriends as they did not immediately comment on their own plans for the evening. When the boys helped clear the table then went off to shower and dress for the day, Kate and Lily agreed that if nothing was forthcoming before Remus and the Potters left to wander around the Magical section of the city, they would make their own plans and let the wizards fend for themselves.

"Honestly," Lily said, tucking her feet under her as she settled onto the living room sofa. "They've probably found some sort of French Quidditch museum and have planned to spend the day exploring the exhibits. Can't you just see them? 'Racing Brooms Through the Ages'."

Kate was forced to chuckle, despite the other girl's irritation. "Quidditch's Biggest Bludgers!"

Lily laughed out loud, warming to the game. "Blood on the Stick: Famous Beaters of France!"

"Don't forget the smallest exhibit, 'Girlfriends Who Love Quidditch'," came a male voice from the doorway and both girls jumped and turned around to find Sirius and James, arms folded across their chests, staring at them mockingly.

"Any other time they stomp around like a couple of Hippogriffs," Lily grumbled.

"Best be careful, ladies," Sirius said, walking toward them. "We won't be inviting you to socialize with us this evening…"

"Yeah," James nodded, strolling over to stand next to his friend. "You wouldn't want to be seen with wizards like _that_!"

"What are you on about, James?" Lily demanded, hands on her hips.

James linked his arm with hers and gently pulled her toward the door. "Come with me and I'll explain."

After they'd gone, Sirius pulled Kate into his arms. "I'm going to make this _much_ less complicated. Have dinner with me tonight."

Kate wound her arms around his neck and smiled. "No Quidditch talk?"

"None."

"You'll have to try to control James, won't you?"

"James won't be there." Sirius waggled his eyebrows. "Just you and me."

"What about…?" Kate was cut off when Sirius leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss.

"Just you and me," he repeated. "We asked Mr. Potter if we could have the afternoon and evening off to sort of do what we wanted. He listened to our plans, gave us our curfew – which is midnight, by the way – and told us to be careful and not to stray too far."

Kate felt a small thrill at the prospect. "So, where are we having dinner?"

"The restaurant downstairs. I have a reservation for 7 pm."

"Awfully sure of yourself, weren't you?" Kate teased.

"Well, it's not like I didn't have a back-up plan," Sirius grinned. "If you'd turned me down, I had Babette waiting in the wings."

"Babette? And just _who_ is Babette?" Kate played along.

"You don't know her," Sirius said, dropping his arms away from Kate's waist and taking a step back. "She lives with the concierge in the cottage out back."

Kate's good humor was beginning to fade just a bit. "Yet you've met her."

"Mmm," Sirius took another step backward in the direction of the door. "She comes to work with him sometimes – you know, when she's bored."

"Care to introduce me?"

"Well, since you've said yes, there's really no point, is there? Maybe I can arrange something before we leave tomorrow night," Sirius said. "Better run and make sure Jamie is ok with Evans. Want to go wandering around the magical shops in a little while? Good! Let's meet by the lift in twenty minutes."

Kate stood with her mouth slightly agape and her eyes wide as she listened to Sirius' babbling. When he disappeared, she shook her head. _Babette, indeed!_

Closer to thirty minutes later, Kate and Sirius stood in the lift, watching the floor numbers change as they moved closer to the ground level. As they passed through the lobby, the harassed voice of the concierge met their ears, "Babette! Tu devais rester à la maison cet après-midi! Je suis trop occupé pour vous divertir aujourd'hui! "

Sirius blushed and looked over at Kate. "What did he say?"

Kate replied, "Babette is here, apparently. She was supposed to stay at home this afternoon since he cannot possibly find the time to entertain her with all that he has to accomplish today." She stepped past Sirius and moved in the direction of the voice. "Here's your chance to introduce me; we can't pass up the opportunity, can we?"

"Babette! Non!"

The tap of toenails on the polished parquet flooring – and Kate's sudden ringing laughter - announced the arrival of Babette. Sirius grinned as she strolled up to him.

"Babette, shake hands with Kate Morgan. Kate, this is Babette – my back up plan." The well-behaved, cream colored standard poodle sat obediently and offered her paw to Kate to shake. After she had done so and patted the dog on her curly head, Kate straightened up and looked directly at Sirius. "My competition, eh?"

Sirius shook his head. "You have no competition; you know that."

Kate nodded and smiled at the concierge who had arrived to retrieve his wayward "girl". "Let's go exploring, shall we? Maybe we can find Babette a nice sparkly collar or some doggie biscuits as a consolation prize."

Sirius' bark-like laugh echoed in the lobby as the two walked out into the bright Paris sunshine.

XXXXXXXX

The excursion into Paris' magical district revealed shops with a variety and sophistication of merchandise that put the Hogsmeade vendors to shame. The Magical community had named their portion of the city "The Magical Quarter" and, indeed, it was. A shop boasting the sign, "Charisse: Robes Elégantes Pour la Sorcière Sophistiqués" drew Kate's eye and she tugged on Sirius' hand as she slipped into the shop.

"Maybe I'll find some _elegant_ robes to wear to dinner tonight," Kate teased, moving over to a large circular rack with sample robes from which fitted garments would come. As she passed her hand over the rich textures, the feel of pure, spun silk made her pause; the color made her catch her breath. It was a gorgeous shade of spruce green, its blue undertones shimmering as the fabric was turned this way, then that.

"You're elegant enough without them," Sirius began, and then stopped, flushing when Kate raised her eyebrow at him – suddenly realizing what his comment had sounded like. "I mean – you don't need robes to be … you're – _bloody hell_; I'm going to sit over there. Come get me when you're ready to go."

Kate's giggle followed him to an elegant chair by the shop's front window where he settled in to wait.

"Mademoiselle, how may I help you?"

Kate turned to see a woman standing on the opposite side of the rack she was perusing. Tall and beautifully dressed in periwinkle blue robes, the woman had silver hair dressed in a simple chignon. Her face was unlined and her skin flawless; her eyes were arresting: gray in color, the irises outlined in a ring of black – and both of them were trained on Kate.

"Oh, I was just looking," Kate said, still holding the green silk.

"I am Charisse, the owner of this shop," she extended a beautifully manicured hand and smiled warmly. "And that color is perfection for you."

Kate shook hands with the woman and smiled. "It's beautiful, but …" Kate was interrupted by the tinkle of the shop's bell as the front door opened to admit another customer.

"Charisse? Ah, there you are," a woman's voice called out in an accent that identified her as being from the English upper class. "I decided to collect my order rather than take delivery of it. My husband has been called back to London unexpectedly and we will be leaving Paris this evening."

"Of course, Madame Malfoy; however, I am with another client at the moment, as you can see," Charisse glanced at the blonde then back at Kate, frowning as she saw how pale the young woman had become. The shop owner followed Kate's gaze to the handsome young man seated in front of the window – a boy whose face registered an expression of sincere shock, and who was currently trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.

"No matter," Lucius' mother waved a bejeweled hand in Kate's direction. "I'm certain the little girl can wait while you see to my order." She then redirected her attention to the hair ornaments displayed on the front counter.

With the witch otherwise occupied, Charisse walked to the fitting area behind Kate and waved her wand at a tall, tri-sectioned screen which promptly rose a few inches from the ground and, at Charisse's direction, settled in front of Sirius' chair, successfully blocking him from view. With a small smile and a wink in Kate's direction, she murmured, "If you will excuse me, I shall be with you in a moment."

"It is unfortunate that you will be leaving Paris early, Madame," Charisse said as she retrieved the garments and held them out for examination.

Tiaa Malfoy brushed her hand over the rich materials and examined the workmanship and styling appraisingly. "Yes," she said finally. "These will do nicely. If you could wrap them for me; I believe my husband, Abraxas, has settled your bill, yes?"

"Oui, Madame."

The haughty blonde nodded once, then glanced around the shop – disappointment evident on her porcelain features. "Our rather abrupt departure has robbed me of an opportunity to discuss robes for the Holiday season. Naturally, you will retain my measurements in your records so that I may place that order with no additional need to return to Paris?"

"Of course, Madame; but surely you would wish to choose the fabrics and colors for these purchases?"

Tiaa shook her head. "Charisse, you and I both know that you are genius in this area; I would trust your judgment implicitly. If you have a concern or a question, I trust that you would be willing to travel to London to consult with me." It was not a question.

Charisse felt her irritation spike at the condescending manner of the English witch before her. After so many years in this trade, however, the woman had developed a knack for concealing her true feelings for customers such as this one. It was a skill that served her well. And, as Tiaa Malfoy had so accurately observed, Charisse Parlenasse _was_ genius – an icon above all other designers in the Magical Paris fashion industry. She lifted her head and fixed a smile on her face.

"I do not see why I could not do so," she replied. "You have only to owl me and we shall discuss such a visit."

Tiaa nodded smugly. "The nature of my husband's business in London is closely guarded – for the protection of many of our friends. The women who move in this circle are as discerning as I where fashion is concerned. I can provide you with much business, Charisse, and will do so happily – under one condition: I must always have the best fabrics, the latest designs, and the most unique couture. I will be most displeased to accompany my husband to one of his business functions and find a similar garment on any of the other witches present. The robes I wear must be exclusive. Do I make myself clear?"

Charisse's eyes glittered like ice but her expression remained politely neutral. "Of course, Madame."

"Excellent." Tiaa gathered her packages and offered her hand to Charisse. "Thank you, my dear. I will be in contact with you." And she was gone – the tinkling of the bell hanging in the silence that lingered after the door had closed firmly behind her.

XXXXXXXX

"My apologies, Mademoiselle," Charisse came over to where Kate still stood. "That is a client of mine that … well; allow me to simply say that she does not like to be kept waiting. It is sometimes easier to simply acquiesce to her wishes." She glanced over at the screen. "But perhaps you already know this?"

Sirius stood and walked over to the proprietress. "I am acquainted with her family," he smiled wryly. "As you well know. Thank you for the diversion."

Charisse extended her hand, a warm smile on her face. "I am happy to have assisted you, Monsieur Black. How are you?"

"Well, thank you," Sirius looked over at Kate whose surprise was clearly registered on her face. "Katie, Charisse has been coming to Grimmauld Place to take care of my mother's robes since I was a small boy. Often, other women from my parents' circle would also be there – Malfoy's mother included. Charisse was always very kind to a rambunctious, very bored child who liked to play games with her magical tape measure and bolts of cloth. She managed to keep most of my antics away from my mother's sight."

"It was not an easy task, I assure you," Charisse said to Kate, "but it was one I was happy to attempt." The older woman turned back to Sirius. "Is your mother well?"

Sirius' smile slipped a bit. "I've no idea," he answered. "I haven't seen her in several months."

Charisse looked bemused. "You are not here in Paris with her, then? I just assumed…."

"You've seen her?" Sirius' face paled sharply and his voice was quiet.

"Oui, earlier this summer; she and your father came into the shop. They placed an order for her then came back a few days later to pick it up. I haven't seen them since and just assumed, seeing you today that they were traveling a bit before returning home." Charisse peered sharply at the young wizard.

Sirius' color returned a bit as he realized that his mother must have stopped in shortly after her release from the hospital. "No, I am not traveling with them; I'm here with friends."

"Ah, yes," the woman turned back to Kate. "The beautiful green silk; shall we fit it to you, Mademoiselle?"

With the mention of Walburga Black, Kate felt some of her enthusiasm slip, but glancing at Sirius, who was looking more like himself, she made up her mind. "Perhaps we could just see what it would look like; would that be possible?"

"Oui, Mademoiselle; anything is possible," Charisse smiled and led Kate to a large dressing room.

"I won't be long," Kate said to Sirius before the door closed.

"You take your time, Katie; we're in no hurry at all," Sirius smiled reassuringly and returned to his seat to wait. He looked out at the street, half expecting to see the Malfoys and half the Blacks strutting down the main thoroughfare, but – of course – he did not. _She's firmly entrenched in that hell hole in London; you're here – with Kate and your friends. One Malfoy does _not_ a panic make…well, not this particular Malfoy, anyway_, he told himself firmly.

"What do you think?" Kate's soft voice floated over from the other side of the room and when Sirius turned to look at her, he swore he almost forgot how to breathe.

Charisse had outdone herself. The spruce green/blue silk had been fitted beautifully, hugging Kate's figure from bustline to waist then floating away from her body slightly to give an overall ethereal look to the young woman. The robes were strapless and the shimmer of the silk against her slightly tanned skin was, as Charisse had observed earlier – perfection. Sirius became aware of the fact that he was standing there, simply staring and he moved toward where the two women were standing.

"I didn't think you could look any more beautiful than you already do," he breathed, leaning down and kissing her cheek softly. "This is one time I don't mind being wrong."

Kate laughed, a bit self-consciously, but Charisse was having none of it. "He's right, my dear; you are truly enchanting."

"It seems so indulgent," Kate said, smoothing her hands over the slippery, cool skirt. "I don't know…"

Charisse smiled. "This silk was from our spring line and so it is marked down considerably. It is a very difficult color for some to wear and I regret to tell you that there was little interest in it during the season. I am happy that this is the case, because it was meant for you."

"My mother did deposit some money into my account so that I could do some shopping while we were here," Kate said. With another look at Sirius – and seeing the truth of what Charisse had said plainly on his face, Kate smiled and nodded. "Well, then; I'll take it."

"Excellent! If you change, I will have the robes hung in a protective covering and delivered to your hotel," Charisse offered and Kate gladly accepted.

It wasn't long before Sirius and Kate were back outside, strolling down the high street. "Are you going to wear your new robes this evening?" Sirius asked, tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Oh, I don't know; it seems a bit fancy to me for dinner at the hotel," she said.

"Maybe," he conceded. "But they look incredible on you."

Kate smiled. "Thank you."

They continued along until they came upon a small window in which numerous trinkets – earrings, necklaces and hair combs were displayed. "Care to go in?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, I think I've probably spoiled myself enough for one trip," Kate said.

"It's not going to hurt anyone to look, is it?" Sirius reasoned. When Kate could do no more than shake her head, he tugged her up the steps and inside the building – in behavior that mirrored hers when they had come upon Charisse's shop.

As they looked among the displays, Kate happened to notice a strand of small pearls. As the shopkeeper held them up against her throat, they turned an even creamier shade of off-white. "Thank you," Kate said quietly, shaking her head as the woman offered to wrap them up for her. As she moved to another counter to look at some abalone hair combs, Sirius motioned to the older woman to put them aside.

"Those would never hold your hair, Katie-girl; you've got too much of it," he said teasingly.

Kate gave him an amused look. "I would never have taken you for a hairdresser, Sirius."

"Mmm hmm; I've run my fingers through _your _hair enough to know, haven't I?" His lips were scant inches from her ear. Kate shivered and slipped past him to the door.

"Merci, Madam," she called to the shopkeeper, skipping lightly down the steps to the street.

Sirius turned and held an index finger up. "I'll be right back," he mouthed.

Sirius jumped down the short flight of steps and joined Kate on the sidewalk. They had just stopped in front of a glassware shop when Sirius paused, patting his pockets in an exaggerated fashion.

"What did you lose?" Kate watched him, barely suppressing a grin at his antics.

"My copy of the key to the apartment," he said, turning out his pockets and making a fair show of looking quite anxious about it all.

"Well, let's retrace your steps. When is the last time you remember having it?"

"Wait – I know! I think I had it in my hand when we were in that last shop. You go on in and see if they have something for your Mum and I'll just dash back and check," Sirius had already started back in the direction of the jewelers.

"Why on earth did you take it out of your pocket?" Kate asked, frowning.

"Oh, I don't know, Katie; I was probably nervous you'd buy those bloody combs and then make me come back here to exchange them when you realized I was right. It doesn't matter; I'll just go back. I won't be a minute." His voice rose in exasperation and Kate put her hands up.

"Ok, fine; I'll wait for you inside, then." With a bemused shake of the head, Kate disappeared into the glassware shop.

Sirius walked back into the jewelers, smiled at the woman and gestured toward the package which she had wrapped in pale yellow paper and tied with a white ribbon. "Thank you. I'll need to sign a draft for my vault at Gringott's. Will that be acceptable?"

The woman smiled. "It is common for our clients to do so, Monsieur; I'll get the papers."

As Sirius completed and signed the draft, the owner commented, "You've made a lovely choice in these pearls. They have magical properties, you know."

Sirius handed her the draft. "Magical properties?"

"Oh, yes. They will change to a lighter version of the color of a woman's robes," she said. "When in their pouch, they return to their neutral shade of white. They are becoming more difficult to find; your young lady is very lucky, indeed."

Sirius pocketed the small package and smiled. "Thank you, but I think I'm the lucky one. Good bye."

Sirius smiled as he made his way over to the shop where he'd left Kate. It took him a moment or two to locate her near the back of the shop. In her hand was a pair of hand blown clear glass candlesticks.

"Those are nice," he said, peering over her shoulder.

Kate jumped a bit, obviously lost in contemplation of the gift in her hand. "Mmm. I think Mum would like them. Did you find your key?"

"What? Oh, yes – right on the counter." He patted his pocket. "All set, then?"

Kate nodded and moved over to finalize her purchase. When they were back on the street once more, she glanced at her watch. "It's already half three; we should probably go back if we're going to get ready for a 7 o'clock reservation."

Sirius smiled. "It's going to take you three and a half hours to get ready?"

"No, but Lily and I share a bathroom, remember? And she is going out with James tonight, as well."

"True – and Merlin only knows that it takes James an age to get ready to go anywhere. It's that hair of his. You're right – let's head back."

Kate laughed and took his arm as they made their way back along the quaint streets to the hotel.

XXXXXXXX

Kate's words had proved prophetic. Lily was in a strop, trying to find something to wear for her dinner out with James. Finally, she settled on a black dress with a lovely green quartz pendant and earrings that had been James' birthday present to her that year. She brushed out her fiery auburn waves until her hair crackled with static. A light makeup and some cologne and she was ready.

"Where are you going?" Kate asked as she chose a pair of wide-legged black trousers and a white wrap blouse with a lower neckline than she usually wore.

"No idea. James is being all mysterious; says I'll find out when we get there." Lily looked at Kate appraisingly. "You look gorgeous. Sirius won't be able to eat; his mouth will be hanging open all evening!"

Kate shook her head at her friend. "You're daft…but thank you!"

"What are you doing with your hair?" Lily asked, hands on hips and head tilted to one side as she looked at her friend.

"Just brush it out, I suppose," came the answer as Kate sat at the small makeup table.

"You should wear it up. Here – hand me your brush and let me get my toiletry bag."

Fifteen minutes later, Kate was looking in the mirror at Lily's handiwork. She had styled Kate's hair in a simple French Twist, pulling wisps of wavy hair out of the pins to frame her face. "Lily, you're a genius!" Kate smiled at her friend. "I've never been able to wrestle it into one of these things!"

"Go on, put on your face; it's nearly seven and I have to get out there and meet James before he starts tugging at _his _hair!"

Kate took a scant ten minutes on her makeup and was soon walking behind Lily into the living room of the apartment. True to form, James and Sirius were standing together fidgeting; the Potters and Remus had just left for the opera.

"Are we ready, James?" Lily asked the young wizard, who grinned widely when he saw her.

"Lily; you look beautiful!"

"Thank you," she answered, taking his arm and walking with him to the door.

"_Katie_," Sirius whispered. "You're gorgeous."

"You don't mind the trousers?" she asked, watching his face for a reaction.

"Not on _you_," he said, leaning over to kiss her lips gently. Sirius glanced at her unadorned neckline. _Perfect_. "I have something for you." Sirius pulled out he wrapped package and handed it to her.

"What's _this_?" Kate asked, smoothing her finger over the satin ribbon. "You didn't have to give me anything."

"Open it and see what it is," he suggested. "And I think you've known me long enough to know that I rarely do what I _have_ to do!"

Kate smiled and pulled at one end of the ribbon until it fell away from the package, then tore at the seam of the paper gently, revealing a blue velvet pouch. When she tipped the contents into her palm, her eyes widened. "_Sirius_," she said. "The pearls from the shop…you didn't lose your key at all, did you?"

"Nothing gets past you," he teased, thrilled at the expression on her face. "Here, let me help you put them on." Sirius stepped behind her and took the necklace from her fingers, fastening it securely around her neck. He leant forward and placed a small kiss on the back of her neck, delighting in the shiver his caress produced from her.

Kate turned to face him, her fingers brushing over the pearls that rested at her throat. "Thank you. They're perfect."

"They're magical," Sirius said and went on to explain what the shopkeeper had told her. Enchanted, Kate's first impulse was to go back inside her bedroom and change her blouse. As Sirius pointed out, however, it was almost 7 and they needed to leave.

"Grab your sweater," Sirius advised and Kate scooted back to the bedroom to do so. Returning to the living room moments later, she held up the peach colored sweater Margaret had transfigured the previous evening. "I almost hope I'll need this," she smiled, leaning up and kissing him once more. "Thank you; it's just so lovely."

"So are you. Ready?" he asked and when Kate nodded, Sirius led her through the front door and into the lift.

XXXXXXXX

For a Saturday evening, the restaurant was not crowded and the waiter assigned to their table explained that most patrons attend the theater or the opera early and have dinner much later in the evening. Sirius knew that James was taking Lily to hear a famous singer from London who had left a popular band to strike out on her own. The woman was a particular favorite of Lily's and Sirius smiled when he thought of how chuffed James had been when he'd been able to get tickets. James planned to take the young witch for a late supper after the concert.

"What are you smiling at?" Kate asked.

"Oh, just thinking about James and what he'd planned for the evening," he replied then shared those plans with Kate.

"Lily will be thrilled," Kate said, pausing as the waiter arrived with their dinner – a much more modest affair than the previous evening's meal. Tonight, the couple had ordered relatively simple meals: cheese soufflé with freshly baked dinner rolls and salad. Kate confided that she didn't want to have to worry about her new robes fitting once they returned to England.

"Would you have preferred to go with them to the concert? Sirius frowned slightly, thinking that perhaps the evening he'd planned would pale in comparison. He needn't have worried.

Kate smiled. "I'm ready for time alone with you; we've been half of a quartet since we landed in Brighton. Don't get me wrong – I love James and Lily – Remus and your parents, as well, come to that; I've just missed it being only the two of us."

"Good. I feel the same way."

"Do you know what Remus and your parents have planned after the opera?"

"Dinner," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows. "There's a restaurant over in that area that's a particular favorite of James' parents."

"Looks like everyone's going to be home late this evening," Kate observed.

"Everyone except us," Sirius replied. "If that's all right with you."

Kate covered his hand with hers. "More than all right."

An hour later, they'd finished their meals and Sirius had taken Kate's arm as they left the restaurant. Instead of walking toward the lift, as she expected they would do, Sirius steered her toward the hotel door and out into the street.

"Where are we going? I thought you wanted an early night," Kate wondered as they walked along.

"Oh, we'll have an early night. I just want to show you something first," Sirius said mysteriously. "Come along."

He gave her no hints as to their destination and they soon found themselves standing at the Arc that would transport them into the Muggle side of the city. "After you," Sirius said, gesturing toward the white marble barrier. Kate stepped through and moments later, Sirius joined her.

"Where to?" she asked.

"Up," Sirius said simply.

"Up?"

"Up." Sirius pointed above them. "It's definitely not as high as the Eiffel Tower, but the view is supposed to be amazing. What do you say, Katie? Are you game?"

Kate looked at the Arc above them then back at Sirius and nodded. "I'll chance it."

Sirius grinned and grabbed her hand. They walked to the single lift built into the monument and, holding hands quietly, rode until the car came to a stop. "We walk the rest of the way," Sirius said. "It's not too bad – just four flights of stairs."

When they stepped out onto the top of the Arc, Kate was so taken with the view that she forgot any nerves she might have had. Sirius led her over to the front and there, in the twilight, they looked out over Paris, her twinkling lights resembling the stars overhead – just beginning to make their presence known in the midnight blue velvet sky. Kate leaned a bit forward to see below them but pulled back suddenly as she saw just how high above ground they were standing. She felt Sirius' arms go 'round her waist. "I won't let you fall," he whispered.

Kate turned in his arms and draped her own over his shoulders. "Oh, I fell long ago," she whispered back. "And I'm afraid you were the _cause_."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "I know how that feels." His eyes searched her face. "We've been through so much together, haven't we?"

Kate nodded and kissed him again. "And we're still here."

Sirius nodded. "Thank you," he said hoarsely. "You never gave up on me."

Kate shook her head. "I never will." She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him again, shivering as he deepened the kiss, loving the small moan that came from him when she returned his passion in full measure.

"Ready for that early evening?" Sirius asked a bit breathlessly when they broke apart.

"Yes, please," Kate said.

The walk back to the hotel seemed to take longer than they remembered but finally they were back in the apartment – and couldn't suppress a shared smile when they realized they were, indeed, alone. Sirius led Kate into the bedroom he shared with James; the sleeping arrangements had already been worked out between the Marauders.

Slowly, they undressed each other, pausing to place gentle kisses on an exposed shoulder – the base of a throat – the curve of a delicate collar bone. Finally, they were exposed to each other – physically and emotionally. Sirius reached for Kate and she was there, in his arms, returning his kisses with an intensity equal to his. They lay next to each other and Kate reached up to unclasp the pearls that still encircled her throat.

"No," Sirius whispered. "Leave them on – please?"

Kate nodded and brought her hands over to smooth his hair back from his face. "I love you", she murmured, leaning forward and kissing his mouth before moving lower, scattering kisses over his chest, the flat plane of his stomach, the light muscles of his abdomen. She dipped her tongue in the indentation of his navel, earning a low groan from Sirius. She smiled against his skin and placed a small kiss there before moving lower still. Kate caressed him gently, loving the responses that came from a touch here, a kiss – just there, the sweep of her tongue across the tip, all the while her hand stroked him slowly, and the fire within them both continued to build.

"Kate, come here," Sirius rasped and Kate looked up to see his beautiful eyes – brighter than usual – full of emotion and beckoning her upward. With a final kiss to the tender skin, she slid up his body until she was looking into his eyes. "I need you," he said simply and Kate smiled. "I need you," she kissed him deeply, exploring his mouth, allowing him to explore hers.

"Please," he whispered and, at her nod, gently wrapped his arms and legs around her and rolled until he lay over her, the bulk of his weight supported by his arms, his hands entwined in Kate's hair. He leaned down and caught her necklace in his mouth, then let it drop back against her skin. He kissed her throat, then her lips. "I love you," he whispered again then reached between them and was relieved that Kate was ready. Sirius positioned himself at her entrance and slid forward until he was completely sheathed within her. Swallowing her gasp of pleasure, he covered her mouth with his once again, their kisses increasing in intensity as they began to move against one another.

Kate wrapped her arms around Sirius' neck, her eyes locked on his. The fire burned hotter, the flames building in intensity until they wondered that they could still breathe – that the ability to do so had not been completely eclipsed. Kate felt the tension coil at her core as Sirius' thrusts quickened, every feeling multiplied by the look of wonder in his eyes as he watched her. "Mine," he breathed and Kate flew over the edge, hands moving upward, her fingers tunneling through his damp hair. Sirius moaned as he felt her clench around him. He continued to move as she began to come down and when she leaned up to kiss his lips, Sirius increased his pace and Kate began to climb with him once again. His movements became erratic but he fought desperately to hang on until she was ready, until she would fly with him. "Now," she said, pulling him down for another deep kiss and Sirius broke. Kate felt him pulse within her as he thrust deeply and held, then thrust again, breathing heavily and finally coming to rest with his head on her shoulder.

Kate stroked his back and kissed the top of his head until he finally rose up to look at her. "I love you, Katie; I love you more than anything else in my life."

Kate felt her eyes fill. "I love you; more than anything; always."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her eyes, taking the moisture away. When he lifted his head, he kissed her lips gently then carefully slid until he lay next to her, head propped up on his hand.

Kate smiled. "Sleepy?"

Sirius nodded, then put his head down on his pillow, still facing her – and yawned widely. He brought his gaze up to Kate's face and saw that her eyes were already closed. Sirius smiled and reached for the sheet at the foot of the bed to cover them. As he pulled the soft linen up to Kate's shoulder, her pearls caught his eye and he smiled. _Magical, indeed_, he thought as he gazed at them. The pearls had morphed to a dewy pink that matched the delicate flush that suffused Kate's skin. Sirius placed one more kiss to Kate's throat then carefully draped his arm across her waist. A moment later, he was asleep.


	61. Farewell Paris, Hello Hogwarts

'**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **Fluff, romance and some very tasteful intimacy.

Chapter 61 – Farewell, Paris – Hello Hogwarts

Sirius awoke and squinted at the clock beside the bed. Eleven pm. He strained to hear any sound that might indicate some or all of their party had returned. Only the muted sounds of the city below – and the soft sound of Kate's even breathing – could be heard. He turned his head and met a fragrant mass of dark auburn hair; Kate had obviously abandoned her pillow in favor of his shoulder at some point. Sirius breathed deeply of the scent of her shampoo – fresh lemons tinged with something a little spicy.

"Everything all right?" Kate's sleepy voice rose from beneath the mass of waves.

Sirius pulled back when he felt her shift against him. He smiled and lifted his hand to move her hair away from her face. "There you are. Everything's fine. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't; not really, anyway," Kate lifted the sheet and turned on her back, shifting upward to recline a bit higher on the pillows before dropping the covering back over herself.

"You didn't have to cover up on my account," Sirius smiled.

"Hmm," Kate lifted an eyebrow at him then leaned over and kissed his lips gently. "Is anyone else back yet?"

"I don't think so. I can't hear anything out there, anyway." Sirius sat up and scooted back against the headboard in imitation of Kate's current position. He reached over and took her hand. "Please don't tell me that you'd like to go exploring for other signs of life."

Kate laughed. "Not a bit. I'm quite content right here, thank you very much."

"Good; I was hoping you'd feel that way." Sirius smiled and released her hand. Reaching over, he gently drew Kate closer to lean her head on his shoulder. "There; now _I'm_ content." He dropped a kiss into her hair then leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

Kate kissed his bare shoulder. "Are you ready to go back?"

"To the real world? Yeah; I guess I am. But, it's been nice, this," Sirius tightened his hold a bit.

" Paris? Yes; yes it has."

"Not Paris – well, not _just _Paris; I meant everything. Brighton was brilliant – after everything got sorted with Jamie. Getting Moony back – also brilliant; and, of course – you and me, well all that's happened between _us _is _more than_ brilliant," Kate felt him kiss the top of her head again and she brought her hand to rest against his chest, softly stroking the smooth skin.

"More than," she agreed quietly.

"Feels like we've been away from '_the real world_' for a very long time," Sirius mused.

Kate reached up and laid her palm against his cheek. "I think the summer holiday has been well earned. It's been a difficult year."

"Bit of an understatement there, don't you think?"

Kate smiled. "I'm British; we're given to understatement."

They fell silent for a bit, each lost to thought. Kate's musings fell to a topic she'd wanted to broach with Sirius, but had wanted to be careful how she did so; she was anxious that he not take things the wrong way.

"You're going to do your brain a harm thinking so hard," Sirius observed, cheekily. "And I'll do _myself_ one worrying about what it could be." He shrugged his shoulder gently to get Kate to look at him. When she did so, he finished, "Out with it, then."

"I was just thinking about Peter," she began.

"Peter! Why in the world…"

"Are you going to listen to me or am I going to have to put up with periodic explosions until you actually allow me to finish?" Kate lifted her eyebrow at him.

"Fine; go on then."

"We have all been together for the better part of the summer holiday. Peter, on the other hand, has been away. When we all left school last term, you were no longer part of the group. James and Remus appeared to have written you off and Peter, being Peter, had gone with the majority. James and Lily were not yet a couple – well, certainly not officially, at any rate. You and I were out of sorts. For a boy who longs for acceptance and had found it at school, Peter must have felt like his world had changed a great deal in a very short period of time," Kate reasoned.

"Can I say something?" Sirius asked.

"Of course."

"He's going to come to school and find that his world is right back the way he had it before the prank tore us apart," Sirius said. "When you think about it, Peter had the least amount of trauma in all of this. He went home for the holiday; he wasn't with any of us when everything finally came to a head. Peter will come back and only benefit from all of that stress."

Kate shook her head. "Maybe that's the way it appears on the surface, but think about it, Sirius. You, James and Remus have put yourselves back together – that's true; but you are not the same people and it is _not _the same friendship that it was before. _This_ friendship – the relationship that you three forged over the summer - was born of great pain and extraordinary effort - and not only your friendship but _you_ are changed as a result. Peter was not part of _any_ of that process. He only has knowledge of what happened from an owl you sent long after the fact. When he returns, the friendship of which he's been a part for the past five years will no longer be here. In its place will be a bond in which he played no part in creating. Peter will return to that which he most fears – being an outsider; and he will be an outsider to a group he's been with since first year. It's going to be a difficult thing for him, Sirius; very difficult."

Sirius had listened silently to all that Kate said. Although he had never considered it before, he had to admit that it made sense. Peter was as insecure a person as Sirius had ever met and he long ago realized that being a Marauder was probably the most important relationship the young wizard had forged to date. He would be sensitive to any change in it – particularly if that change appeared not to include him.

"But, Katie, there's nothing we can do about any of that now. It all happened when we were away from school. It's not as if we didn't try to get him to come back early. He couldn't come and we couldn't go to him; you know that."

"I do," Kate acknowledged. "But we didn't even ask the Potters if that was an option."

Sirius huffed a bit, before exhaling softly. "I didn't even think about it."

"And that's the point, actually, isn't it? Peter really is an after-thought, most of the time. I think that you and James are going to have to make more of an effort to include him – without being patronizing or obvious," Kate's voice was firm.

"Remus doesn't have to make the same effort, eh?"

Kate rose up on her elbow so she could look directly at Sirius. "No, Remus does _not _have to make the same effort; he's consistently kinder to Peter than either of you."

Sirius gave a snort. "Moony's always been good to him. Peter wouldn't have gotten even one O.W.L. without Remus' help."

"Now _that_ might be a bit of an _over_statement, don't you think? Peter is good in Defense Against the Dark Arts – _without _an inordinate amount of Remus' help – _and _he's very good at Charms." Kate lay down once again against Sirius' shoulder as if that pronouncement settled the matter.

Sirius thought back to their Animagus effort. Peter had the most trouble, but given the advanced state of the magic required, he had still done well. Defense was something at which all of the Marauders excelled. Well, perhaps one couldn't say that Peter _excelled_ necessarily, but he truly only needed help with the essay and theory portions. With the practical, however, Peter did well enough on his own.

"You'll do your brain a harm thinking so hard." From the vicinity of Sirius' shoulder came Kate's voice, tinged with amusement.

Sirius slid down beneath the covers until his face was level with hers. He kissed the tip of her nose and smiled when she opened her eyes. "Then I guess we should find something else to occupy my time and spare my poor brain the aggravation, eh?"

It was Kate's turn to smile. She cupped his face in her hands and urged his lips closer to hers and soon, they had thoughts of no one but each other.

XXXXXXXX

As the sun made its first tentative appearance, Kate rose, eliciting a sleepy protest from the wizard beside her. She donned her clothing from the evening before then returned to perch on the side of the bed. She reached over and moved the mass of dark wavy hair away from Sirius' face and leaned down to kiss his cheek. A moment later, Kate found herself sprawled on the bed as a very strong arm stole about her waist and pulled her downward.

"Sirius!" Kate failed miserably in her attempt to stifle her giggles. "Stop!" She whispered fiercely.

With a waggle of his eyebrows, Sirius continued to pepper her face and neck with kisses. "Don't want to."

"Would you rather explain to James' parents why I'm creeping out of _your _room at dawn, wearing my clothing from last evening?"

"Wouldn't have to explain," Sirius replied. "We've sort of got permission – remember?"

"I know, but _still_…" Kate replied, putting her hands against his chest and pushing him over.

Sirius feigned injury as he rubbed the offended spot on his chest. "I think you've wounded me."

Kate leaned over, kissed his chest lightly then managed to elude his hands as she stood.

"You'll live," she said dryly as she smoothed her blouse and started across the room. She was halfway there when they heard a soft knock on the door. A moment later, the knob turned and the door opened a crack.

"Padfoot? You awake?"

Kate pulled the door open to reveal a disheveled James, hair rumpled, shirt unbuttoned and hanging over his trousers as he stood with his shoes in his hand.

"Good morning, James," Kate smiled. "I was just leaving."

"Oi, Prongs," Sirius greeted his mate. "Nice outfit; classy. Come in and give a bloke all the sordid details of your evening with the fair Lily."

"Don't you do it, James," Kate patted his arm as she passed through the door.

"As if you're not going to go in and trade stories," Sirius called after her quietly.

Kate turned in the hall and stuck her head back into the room. "Sirius Black – I'll have you know that a proper witch _never _kisses and tells." And she was gone.

Sirius smiled after her. "_Merlin_, I love that girl," he said.

James rolled his eyes, but his smile was affectionate. "So I've heard." He threw himself on the bed opposite the one Sirius lolled in.

Sirius looked at his friend appraisingly. "You don't look like a man who passed a bad evening. You and the lovely Miss Evans had a good time, then?"

"The best!" James sprawled out on the other bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, a huge smile pasted on his face.

"I'd ask if there was more to the story, but you've obviously decided to simply keep it all to yourself and just grin stupidly for the rest of the day." Sirius sat up and reached for his track shorts. Pulling them on, he grabbed his shaving kit and headed into the bathroom. As he passed James, he reached out and slapped the other wizard's foot. "I'm taking a shower, mate. Then I'm going to pack. You might want to get your stuff together, too."

James flipped over and pressed his face into his pillow, mumbling something distinctly unintelligible in his friend's direction.

"I'll take that as a promise to get your arse moving, then – shall I?" Sirius grinned as he crossed into the bathroom. "And, James? If I were you, I really _would_ get moving. I have a wand, you know!"

"Mangy _git_," James lifted his head long enough to hurl the insult at what was now a closed bathroom door. Hearing the shower begin to run, James dropped his head back onto the pillow. _I've got plenty of time to doze a bit; I'll _move_ when I hear that shower stop running._ That was his last conscious thought.

Some fifteen minutes later, Sirius emerged from the steamy bathroom with a towel knotted precariously around his waist. Tossing his shaving kit and track shorts onto his bed, he turned to find James in the exact position in which he'd left him. With an evil grin, Sirius walked back into the bathroom and emerged with a glass of ice cold water in his hand. Positioning himself next to the headboard, he dipped his fingers into the glass then held them over James' neck. The dripping water only provoked the slightest of tremors from the sleeping wizard. Sirius tipped the glass slightly and allowed a thin stream of the icy water to hit the back of James' head.

_That_ had the desired effect. "What the…_Padfoot_, you blighter…." James sputtered, flipping onto his back and sitting up in the middle of the bed, hand rubbing at the wet mass of tangles on the back of his head, glare mutinous.

"I _told _you to get up, didn't I?" Sirius laughed, neatly sidestepping James' attempt to grab the glass from his hand. Sirius drank the water in one go then waggled his eyebrows at his friend. "Come on, Jamie; get up and get ready so we can have breakfast. I'm starving."

James was still grumbling about ill-trained dogs as he rose and gathered his own things before heading into the bathroom. Sirius grinned and packed his duffle bag for the return trip to Hogwarts. The shower could plainly be heard when Sirius hoisted the bag on his shoulder and walked out to the common area, closing the door behind him.

"Morning Padfoot," Remus was exiting his own room, bag in hand. "Have a good evening, did you?"

"Moony," Sirius set his bag down on the sofa. "I did, thanks. And how was the opera?"

Remus smiled. "Stirring; very stirring, indeed. You know, if you're interested, I'm sure I could get hold of a recording of that particular piece so you could hear it for yourself."

Sirius shook his head. "Grateful for the offer, Moony, but I'll pass. I'll listen to something worthwhile when it's my turn to use that grammarphone of yours!"

"_Gramophone_," Remus corrected, shaking his head at his friend, expression amused. "And by 'worthwhile' I assume you mean The Beatles or …"

Sirius grinned. "…or anything _other than_ opera, mate. Really – you're such a brilliant wizard, Moons to have such deplorable taste in music!"

"We'll let it go for now, then. Tea?"

"Coffee," Sirius slung his arm around his friend's neck as they headed down the hallway toward the kitchen. "And that's another thing, Moony; tea's an afternoon ritual. Coffee's what you want first thing in the morning! Let's go see what we can find for ourselves."

XXXXXXXX

Despite the fact that their holiday was coming to an end, breakfast – once everyone came together – was a lively affair. Of particular enjoyment was the story of Hal's opera experience where, as Margaret relayed, her husband dozed off sometime after the intermission only to be rudely awakened at the very apex of the performance, when the soprano hit a "C" so high the glass bits of the center chandelier tinkled ominously. Fortunately, the note ended before any glass could shatter; unfortunately – for Hal – the silence _was _shattered as he, startled from his nap, rose to pay homage to the singer's skills, applauding loudly – twice – before Margaret could get his attention and he lowered himself to his seat once again. Sirius let loose with a triumphant _whoop_ as he leaned forward to catch Remus' eye. Even Hal chuckled at the retelling, although his ears were quite a lovely shade of red throughout.

James and Lily had a grand time at their concert and James endured much good-natured teasing when Lily described his _enthusiastic_ dancing. "Like father, like son," Margaret nudged Kate and nodded toward her son whose ears, indeed, had taken on much the appearance of his father's.

"What about you, Sirius? We haven't heard about _your _evening as yet," James' voice betrayed his determination to refocus the conversation.

Sirius looked over at Kate and winked. "Oh, we had a very quiet evening, compared to the rest of you. Just a nice dinner at the hotel, then a walk to the top of the Arc to say goodbye to Paris."

"Sounds a bit tame for you, Pads," Remus commented.

"Well, he was with Kate, after all," Lily commented. "He's always better behaved when he's away from you lot!"

"What time do we need to leave today?" James asked when the laughter from Lily's comment had died down a bit.

"We're due at King's Cross at 2 pm to put you on the Express to Hogwarts. We'll need to Floo to The Leaky Cauldron by 1 to make sure we're on time," Hal replied. "It's just half nine now; we've got some time yet."

Sirius looked over at Kate then at Hal. "Sir, if possible, I'd like to go and say goodbye to my uncle. I'm not sure when I'll have the chance to see him again once we return to school."

"I don't see why you can't do that, son," Hal nodded. "When would you like to go?"

"I thought I'd excuse myself now so I can spend a bit of time with him before we have to leave for London," Sirius glanced around the table. "I'm packed and all. I can just meet you back in the lobby around 12:30 if that works."

"You're going alone?" Kate asked.

"I don't see the need to have a bodyguard," Sirius said, bristling only slightly. "We haven't seen anything too startling since we got here and it's only a short distance between the hotel and my uncle's place."

Remus saw James' father's brow furrow and he spoke up. "James, what do you say to a walk? We could go with Sirius and he could come back after his visit. He'd only be traveling one way by himself – and perhaps he could send an owl – or Floo call when he was ready to leave so we could meet him part way."

Sirius gave him a grateful look. "Listen, Mr. Potter, I haven't seen anything that's intimidated me since we arrived. I'm not going to take any stupid chances, I promise. I just want to see my uncle for a bit. No wandering; no foolishness. I promise," he said again.

Hal sat back in his chair, considering the proposal. It was true that they had seen nothing out of the ordinary during their visit; even Sirius' tale of his near-encounter with Lucius Malfoy's mother was uneventful, truth be told. While there was a little voice in his head that warned him that all of this was perhaps even more reason to continue their cautious approach, Hal also recognized that Sirius had succumbed to Dumbledore's security measures with surprising good grace. This last comment was really the first true sign that the constraints placed on his independence were beginning to chafe. Remus' proposal was sound; Sirius deserved some consideration.

"I think we can manage to let you visit your uncle before we have to leave Paris," Hal said finally. "Remus has suggested a very reasonable way for us to do so while still preserving your safety. Your uncle has an owl, am I right?' At Sirius nod, he continued. "Just send it along when you're preparing to leave. As Remus has said, we can start out to meet you. Agreed?"

Sirius smiled. "Agreed."

"We'll see you in awhile then," Hal said, turning away from the young wizard and picking up his coffee cup.

XXXXXXXX

As he walked away from the hotel with no one but his thoughts for company, Sirius finally acknowledged how good it was to be without a companion. Extrovert that he was, the young wizard still needed time alone to sort things through; running had provided that solitude, but circumstances had forbidden the continuation of his daily routine in Paris. He fully intended to resume his early morning runs upon his return to the castle. _That should help to keep things in order. Depending upon how the conversation goes with Uncle Alphard, there might be considerably more to keep order _of_ going forward. _

Sirius had intended to ask his uncle about Kate's new stepfather, but their time alone together had been too brief to do the topic any justice. Since bidding Alphard goodbye at breakfast, Sirius had been hopeful that another opportunity might present itself to return to his uncle's apartment and, as it finally had, he did not intend to squander it. Thomas O'Hanlon's name brought a feeling of apprehension to the young wizard and even though he couldn't place its source, now that the man was part of Kate's life, Sirius was determined to solve the puzzle.

It wasn't long before the Arc loomed before him and Sirius quickly made the transition into Muggle Paris. Moments later, he was standing outside Hôtel des Maréchaux. Sirius stopped at the foot of the stairs to check his watch. It was just past 10; he was certain that even his eccentric uncle, who observed a rather fluid schedule, would be up and about. As Sirius ascended the steps and made his way across the wide landing toward the entrance, a tall, elegantly dressed man pushed the door open rather forcefully. Had Sirius not possessed excellent reflexes, he would have most certainly been hit with enough force to break his nose. Instead, Sirius caught the door before it could do any harm and the older man strode quickly through.

"Oi! Look out before you throw a door open, eh?" Sirius' voice betrayed his irritation and the man stopped, turning around briefly to stare at him before continuing down the stairs and fairly sprinting in the direction of the Arc. "Bloody lunatic!" Sirius moved through the doorway and toward the lifts on the opposite side of the lobby, shaking off his irritation at the stranger and looking forward even more to his uncle's good humor and affectionate nature.

The lift doors slid silently open and Sirius stepped into the hallway and hurried toward his uncle's door. He pushed the button on the wall and heard the distant chime echo beyond the closed door. When there was no response after a few moments, the young wizard pressed the button again. Pressing his ear against the smooth wood of the door, Sirius couldn't hear anything that indicated his uncle's approach. As he was about to ring the doorbell a third time, the door opened and his uncle stood before him, wand in hand.

"Sirius!" The older wizard swiftly pocketed his wand and leaned forward to glance up and down the hallway. "Come in, my boy; come in!" Sirius followed his uncle's gaze then hurried to comply.

Once the door had closed behind them, Alphard gestured toward the study. "Go on inside and sit down; I'll be back directly."

This time when Sirius settled himself into the deep sofa cushions, he felt a sense of trepidation he had not experienced with his prior visits. A sound at the door drew his attention and Sirius turned to see Marie pushing a tea cart into the room. Sirius rose to help but the appearance of his uncle in the doorway negated the need.

"Thank you, Marie; I'll take this," the older wizard murmured and brought the cart over to where Sirius was sitting. As Sirius tried to control his natural tendency to fidget, Alphard restored his own calm by pouring tea. When both were seated with their cups, he looked his great-nephew in the eye, and Sirius took advantage of the opportunity.

"What's wrong? And please don't try to convince me that nothing's happened; I can see that it has."

Alphard nodded. "Fair enough. Do the Potters know that you are here?"

"Of course. I will owl them when I'm ready to leave and they will start out to meet me," he replied.

Alphard seemed to pale slightly. "You came here alone?"

"No; James and Remus walked over with me. Why?"

"Your presence in Paris has been discovered," Alphard responded.

Sirius' eyes snapped to Alphard's face. "My mother?"

"Actually, no." Alphard returned Sirius' frank gaze. "It was Abraxas Malfoy." He paused to take a sip of his tea. "You didn't mention running into him while you've been here."

Sirius shook his head. "I haven't; not that I know of anyway. I haven't seen … bloody _hell_…"

"What is it?"

"I didn't see _him_," Sirius repeated. "But I _did _see his wife. In a clothing shop. I didn't think she saw _me_, however."

"You were wrong," Alphard's voice was stern. "She not only recognized _you_, but apparently Kate, as well."

"Kate? Why would Kate matter to her? And how would she even know who she was?" Sirius put his cup and saucer on the low table and stood, running a hand though his hair in agitation.

"Sirius, you attend Hogwarts with their _son_, a young man who has completely embraced the beliefs of his family – a Pureblood family as old as the Blacks; a Pureblood family with _ties_ to the Blacks. Really, son, you should know as well as anyone how consistently the old families communicate. They may not particularly like one another, but they _do _talk."

Sirius had walked over to the terrace doors and was now pacing in front of them, his hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his jeans. "Can they get to Katie?"

Alphard's face softened at the concern he heard in the younger wizard's voice. "They can get to _anyone_, Sirius; you know this."

There was something in his uncle's voice that made Sirius come closer. Instead of retaking his seat on the sofa, he sat on the low table directly in front of Alphard. "They tried to get to _you_, didn't they? That's how you know all of this."

Alphard nodded wearily. "Yes, they tried to get to me. I had a visitor just before you arrived. No, no," he held up his hand as he heard Sirius take a breath to interrupt. "I wasn't hurt – as you can plainly see."

"But you were threatened."

Alphard shook his head. "They never _threaten_, per se, Sirius but they bring their most persuasive elements to the table. In this case, that element was you."

"Me?" Sirius was surprised. "I'm not even a Black anymore, according to my parents; what kind of bargaining chip am _I_, then?"

"Your defection from the family has caused some considerable gossip amongst the Pureblood families with whom your parents associated on a social level. While they could – and _did _attempt to counter the gossip by stating that they had disowned you, it rankles with them that you have so effectively moved away from the traditions of the old families."

Sirius sighed. "But I've made no secret of how I feel, Uncle; this is not news to them."

"What happened recently in Hogsmeade between you and your cousin, Bellatrix, opened old wounds, my boy. The fact that you could have bested her, leave alone disarmed her, did not escape anyone's notice. She is a powerful witch, Sirius – a powerful _dark _witch. Up to that point, your falling out with your family was private. What happened between you and Bellatrix brought it all out into the open. The fact that it was Edgar Bones' son you defended made it even more embarrassing for the family." Alphard withdrew his wand and tapped their cups in turn, re-heating their tea. "Here," he handed the younger wizard his cup, "drink up."

The two wizards silently finished their tea, each lost in his own thoughts. Finally, Sirius spoke.

"It's not as if I knew the kid was related to someone in the Ministry; I don't know the family on sight. It was just a kid, Uncle Alphard; a first year and he was _terrified_. I know what it's like to be on that end of a powerful witch's wand – my dear _mum_ can tell you all about what it's like on Bellatrix' end of things." Sirius paused, giving some careful thought to what he would say next. "I've been in Gryffindor for five years," Sirius reasoned. "I've openly defied everything that my family has stood for. The whole marriage arrangement; spending the bulk of the holiday with the Potters – then an early return to Hogwarts; what will it take to convince them – a bludger to the head?"

Alphard smiled at the last comment then looked at Sirius thoughtfully for a moment. "Sirius, have you ever heard of a man named Thomas O'Hanlon?"

Sirius' face paled and he held Alphard's gaze before nodding. "He was one of the reasons I came to see you this morning. Do _you _know him?"

"After a fashion, I suppose, although it's more by reputation than actual acquaintance. He and his late wife moved in the same social circles as your parents did when you were quite young. He knew your uncle, Cygnus Black, quite well," Alphard said quietly, watching his great-nephew closely. "All of which he was very sure to remind me – albeit politely – when he visited me this morning."

"_He_ was the one who came to see you?" Sirius felt his pulse quicken.

"Yes; just before you arrived, actually. You probably passed each other – what is it?"

Sirius had shot up and walked quickly to the windows once again – as if Thomas O'Hanlon would be standing within view in the street. "I saw him," he said, turning back to face Alphard. "There was this bloke in a Muggle suit that bloody near broke my nose rushing through the door downstairs. I hollered after him, and he turned around, but didn't come back. He hared off down the street, instead."

It was Alphard's turn to pale. "He saw you, then."

"Not for long and I'm sure he didn't realize it was me; how could he? I've never met the blighter, after all."

"He had a photograph, Sirius; a photograph of you that your father had given him," Alphard replied.

"I can't believe this is happening," Sirius said, looking out the glass doors once again.

"Why don't you tell me how _you_ know this man," Alphard suggested quietly.

"I don't _exactly _know him," Sirius replied. "I know his wife, though."

Alphard frowned. "His wife is dead."

Sirius shook his head. "His _new _wife is very much alive, I can assure you. He got married a few weeks ago."

"To whom?"

"Felicity Morgan," Sirius walked back and resumed his seat on the sofa. "Kate's mother."

Alphard inhaled sharply. "You didn't happen to notice her waiting for him, did you?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, but I don't know that I would have; I wouldn't expect to see her here. I think she'd have noticed me, though and I'm sure she'd have spoken to me."

"I have to ask you a difficult question, my boy. Based on your acquaintance with the new Mrs. O'Hanlon, do you think that she could …?"

Sirius didn't let him finish. "…be in league with my family? No! Definitely _not_! She hates the Blacks almost as much as I do – and with good reason. She took care of me – took me in – after I left Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Morg… O'Hanlon was quite unimpressed with the way I had been treated. I can't imagine that she knows anything about this; I can't imagine that she knows anything more about her new husband than he has allowed her to see. Trust me."

"I _do_, my boy; I trust you implicitly." Alphard grew thoughtful. "Other than your ill- treatment at the hands of your mother, is it fair to suspect that Mrs. O'Hanlon has _another _reason to despise our family?"

"It's not my story to tell, Uncle," Sirius said quietly. "But, I will say that she firmly believes that my family – my father in particular – had something to do with her first husband's death."

Alphard nodded. "I suspected as much. I've heard bits and pieces of what happened to Roderick Morgan, but as your uncle Cygnus was found at the scene, it struck me that perhaps the responsibility for Morgan's demise rested exclusively with him."

Sirius smiled shrewdly. "I can't quite believe that, Uncle; you've always struck me as far more perceptive than to believe something so flimsy."

Alphard's face reflected his first real smile since Sirius' arrival. "So, you think there's more to that situation than met the eye, do you?"

"I do – and…" Sirius stopped, a look of alarm crossing his features.

Watching him, Alphard became similarly somber. "…and?"

"Uncle, Kate believes that the story her mother told her about her father's death is a bit thin, as well. Now we have her mother's second husband – a man who is somehow still involved with the _Blacks_ – visiting _you_ with a photograph of _me_. Suppose I'm _not _the target? Suppose it's Kate? Suppose my father _did_ have something to do with Roderick Morgan's death and is afraid that Kate could somehow reveal that?" Sirius' voice rose as his agitation grew.

Alphard reached over and clasped the young man's arm. "There's no future in jumping to conclusions. First of all, we don't know that your father is using Thomas O'Hanlon for any purpose _other than_ to try to make contact with _you._"

"Uncle Alphard, when I last saw my father, I made it very clear that I didn't want anything to do with him or with the family."

"When was that?"

"Earlier this summer; after I'd left Grimmauld and gone to Kate's. I ran into him at Diagon Alley when I'd … well, _wandered_ to think things over for a bit. That's when I found out that Mother had been checked into a hospital in Paris to see if they could treat her _condition_. Funny thing, that. I don't know many hospitals that can knock a tendency toward Unforgivables out of a person. At any rate, I didn't leave him wondering how I felt. Can't imagine that he didn't get the message."

"He most likely did, Sirius. Your mother may well have persuaded him to try to contact you on _her_ behalf. I don't believe for a moment that she wouldn't try to side-step Dumbledore in an effort to see you," Alphard pointed out. "He wasn't overly forthcoming about exactly what he wanted."

"What _did _he say?"

"He asked me if I was _the _Alphard Black, who was related to the Blacks in London and I told him that I was. He pulled out your photo and asked me if I recognized you and I told him that I would first be interested in hearing why he wanted to know. That wasn't a popular response, I can assure you," Alphard smiled wryly. "He realized, however, that he wasn't going to hear anything about you from me. O'Hanlon then decided that he'd settle for telling me that you were spotted in Paris and that he was sure that you'd attempt to contact me. He told me about what had happened with the Bones child and hinted that your parents had been very distressed when Bellatrix told them about the incident. Then he asked me again if I was sure I hadn't seen you. If I wasn't so concerned about what lies beneath all of this subterfuge, I'd have almost enjoyed watching him become more and more frustrated with me."

"How did it end?" Sirius asked.

"He told me that he would expect to hear from me if you dropped by or otherwise got in touch. I obviously made no promises."

Sirius looked sharply at Alphard. "Hopefully he didn't recognize me after all," he said. "What do you think this all means?"

"I've a few ideas. Do you think you could owl the Potters? I'd like to have a conversation with young James' father before you all leave for school," Alphard replied. "Perhaps he can look into all of this once you're all safely back in Scotland."

Sirius watched his uncle pull fresh parchment and a quill from a drawer in the side table and settle himself at the writing desk to compose a note to Hal. "Shouldn't we tell Kate about this?"

Alphard shook his head. "No; not at the moment. Let's see what Harold Potter has to say before we alarm anyone else." He used his wand to light the stick of wax that would seal the rolled parchment. "Run along and fetch Magellan for me, my boy. Your time in Paris is growing shorter and shorter and I want to settle some things before you have to leave."

Sirius nodded and rose to bring Alphard's owl from the sun room. As he left he wondered how he ever could have thought that leaving Grimmauld Place once and for all could ever have brought an end to the drama in his life.


	62. Family Ties: New, Old and Uncertain

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 62 – Family Ties – New, Old and Uncertain

"I'm sure Sirius will eventually forgive us both for the unceremonious dismissal," Alphard smiled ruefully at Hal when both men had settled themselves in Alphard's study.

A flash of green light from the hearth interrupted Hal's response and both men turned to greet Albus Dumbledore as he emerged from the cavernous fireplace.

"Gentlemen," the headmaster shook hands with both men before seating himself in one of the wingback chairs in front of the sofa. He gestured toward the two men, indicating that Hal and Alphard should resume their seats. "Young Mr. Black has Floo'd back to the hotel, I take it?" No one missed the slight smile that accompanied his statement.

Hal nodded. "Not without some protest, but he is, indeed, back in the hotel. I've told Margaret that she should wait for us to return before leaving."

"I've owled ahead and the Hogwarts Express will await your arrival unless we decide to postpone their return. Any additional travel facilitators have also been notified of a potential delay. I'm quite grateful for your kind offer to put the students up in your home in London for the night, if needed," Albus smiled kindly in Hal's direction.

"Depending upon what we discuss – and potentially _decide_ – here, it might be advisable. If we can do a little investigating before sending them all back to Scotland, we would then have time to put some additional protection in Hogsmeade, if needed," Hal looked and sounded every inch of the Ministry official he was. The older wizards knew that every possible precaution would be taken to protect the students.

"We've all been brought current with the facts of the situation at hand," Hal glanced at Alphard. "Now we need to fit the pieces together to see what can be deduced."

"How much _does _Sirius know?" Albus asked.

"The facts and nothing more," Alphard responded. "But he's a bright lad and I'm certain that his mind is spinning the possibilities as we speak. I will admit to you both that I am still not convinced that we don't run a greater risk by keeping Sirius in the dark on this matter."

"I appreciate that," Albus nodded. "And, knowing Sirius as I do, I can guarantee that he is trying to work it all through on his own. This is not entirely a negative situation. He is, as you say, quite bright and his perspective on the facts is a unique one. He may well develop a theory that leads us to even greater discoveries. I believe – and with your agreement, Alphard – that we should encourage his thought process and the sharing of any ideas with the three of us. As far as any reciprocal behavior, however, I think we should be most cautious. I can manage Sirius to a point; I do not want to put him at further risk by even benignly encouraging any impetuous behavior on his part." The other wizards murmured their firm agreement. "Hal, would you be so kind as to begin?" Albus leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap, giving the youngest member of their group his undivided attention.

"It would appear that the heads of various Pureblood families are scheduled to meet in London tonight or tomorrow. We know this based on movements we've been tracking through the MLE as well as independent reports from a contact of mine. Abraxas Malfoy's wife was overheard to say that her husband had been unexpectedly called back to London on business," Hal reported.

"Do we know any other attendees?" Alphard inquired.

"A few. Theodore Nott, Sr., Victor Crabbe, Eduard Bullstrode and, unsurprisingly, Orion Black."

"Would that be the same Bullstrode whose daughter's betrothal to Sirius was broken off this spring?" Albus fixed his gaze on James' father.

"Yes; interesting, isn't it? It was my understanding that the two did not part as friends when the marriage contract was dissolved," Hal smiled.

"One does not have to part as friends to be allies in a common cause," Albus commented, settling back in his chair once again.

"Was Thomas O'Hanlon part of the group destined for this London meeting?" Alphard asked.

"It would appear so, but we've been unable to confirm it as certain. O'Hanlon's an interesting fellow. He's rumored to have been part of the initial movement to restore Pureblood supremacy several years ago, but for the most part, he's kept to himself. His wife died five years ago and shortly afterward, her family engaged a solicitor in an attempt to persuade the Swiss to launch an inquiry into her death - but nothing came of it. Since then, he's given every appearance of being a proper British wizard, engaged in proper British business dealings," Hal told them. "He has been quite successful in both real estate and investments."

"Rather non-specific pursuits, aren't they? Where is this real estate located? In what – and for whom – are these investments being made?" Alphard looked pointedly at Hal. "Such ambiguity allows for great anonymity, if desired."

Hal gave them a small smile. "He is nothing if not shrewd. However, we have been able to uncover a bit about his affairs. He has a grown daughter who had attended a Swiss boarding school both prior to and after her mother's death. O'Hanlon maintained the family residence – a rather large estate, really – in Geneva until the daughter married in June. It was then put on the market and our sources tell us that it has now sold – at a price quite below market value."

Alphard's brow furrowed. "Odd thing, that. Why would the man settle so quickly after listing the property? With all the wealth in Switzerland, I can't believe he wouldn't have gotten his price – and perhaps more – with a bit of patience."

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair. "Indeed, particularly when one considers the fact that Mr. O'Hanlon is very experienced in real estate trends and practices. Do we know who purchased the property, Hal?"

"Not exactly. A Muggle solicitor from London purchased the estate on behalf of an unnamed client. We are working to identify the purchaser, however it is proving to be a rather daunting task. We will continue to pursue it." Hal paused and looked at the Headmaster appraisingly for a moment before continuing. "I don't suppose you have any highly-placed contacts in the Muggle Ministry who might be willing to share a bit of information?"

Dumbledore smiled. "As it happens, I _do_, Hal. I shall speak with them as soon as we finish here. Tell me, what do you know about the sister and brother-in-law?"

Hal shrugged. "Melanie and Geoffrey Hanscombe. Both in their 40's, with two…."

Albus interrupted the younger man, a look of surprise on his face. "Their twin sons graduated from Hogwarts this past spring. Ravenclaws, the both of them. Both the parents attended Hogwarts, as well. Melanie was Ravenclaw, but her husband was in Slytherin, if memory serves."

"With O'Hanlon," Hal supplied.

Albus nodded. "Yes, Thomas O'Hanlon was also Slytherin and he and Geoffrey Hanscombe were in the same graduating class."

"Along with Rosier, Antonin Dolohov and Orcus Mulciber." Hal paused for a moment, adding scornfully, "_Orcus_. Roman god of the underworld; one who punishes broken oaths. His parents certainly saw great things for him, didn't they?"

Alphard smiled. "Pairs well with his surname: _Mulciber_; also known as 'Vulcan', god of both beneficial _and _hindering fire. Mayhem on every front, it would seem!" he sobered and shook his head.

Albus leaned forward in his chair and fixed Hal with his direct gaze. "You mentioned that O'Hanlon's daughter married this summer. Do we have any information as to the family into _which_ she married?"

Hal nodded. "As it happens, I do. Boadicea O'Hanlon is now Mrs. Arturo Bullstrode."

The headmaster inclined his head and gave the other man a small smile. "Imagine that. The scion of one pureblooded family takes the only daughter of another as his bride. It certainly unites two very wealthy and powerful lines, does it not?"

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," Alphard chimed in. "So, the Bullstrodes recovered nicely from their daughter's defection. Did the bride and groom know each other long before the nuptials took place?"

Hal smiled. "Five months. The Bullstrodes hosted a dinner party and invited the Hanscombes, O'Hanlon and his daughter. Arturo was present and the rest, as the Muggles say, is history."

"So, we know that O'Hanlon has tied himself in with the Bullstrodes – an old family very familiar with the Dark Arts," Albus rose and stood before the fireplace.

"And used his daughter to do it," Alphard's tone was more than a little scornful.

Albus shook his head. "Not necessarily, my old friend. Let us suppose for a moment that O'Hanlon was already well acquainted with Eduard Bullstrode. It's entirely possible that the marriage was the _result_ of their association – not the other way around. How would the marriage _benefit_ O'Hanlon would be more to the point, I think."

"The benefit to the Bullstrodes would be…." Hal began, but was interrupted as Albus gave a slight laugh.

"…_significant_. Recall that Ofelia had announced both her pregnancy as well as her intention of marrying the child's father – a young man _not _selected for her by her parents. That the marriage contract between young Ofelia and the heir to the Black family legacy was so unceremoniously broken only added to their social woes, as it were. The Bullstrodes are, of course, quite concerned with appearances. What better way to deflect attention from Ofelia than to marry off their own heir to a lovely pureblood from another country? No, I think the Bullstrodes' benefit can be found in the salvage of their reputation which, though amusing, isn't beneficial to _us_."

The men were silent for a few moments then Hal spoke again. "So, if we look at this from O'Hanlon's perspective, what _does _he gain? His acquaintance with the Bullstrodes would buy him entry to their social circles, I should think, so it can't be that. Arturo is very young – just out of Hogwarts – so he hardly adds anything of value to O'Hanlon's position."

"He _does_ remove the daughter from the household, though," Alphard said thoughtfully. "As O'Hanlon himself has just married, perhaps that is part of the benefit."

Albus' eyes crinkled at the corners in merriment. "I will confess that my mind had not traveled down that path, but perhaps that's a consideration – although I do not believe it is the principal reason."

Alphard colored slightly. "It removes her from danger, Albus; it removes her from _danger_ was my meaning."

"Ah," came the still-amused reply. "Well, that makes perfect sense. Still, however, I do not believe his daughter's safety was his reason. No; but I think you might be on track with a part of your logic. O'Hanlon has recently remarried – and to a woman whose late husband was _not _an aficionado of the Dark Arts. In fact, Roderick Morgan went out of his way to avoid any entanglement with Dark wizards – so much so that many believed it contributed to his death."

"But the popular belief amongst the purebloods in question is that Roderick Morgan caused the death of Cygnus Black," Hal supplied.

Alphard's gaze shifted to the younger wizard. "O'Hanlon had occasion to know Cygnus; although they were not in the same year at Hogwarts, they were in the same House. It seems likely that he would have already had some introduction to the London pureblood families prior to his departure for Switzerland."

Hal sucked in his breath. "Interesting. Morgan's association with American federal law enforcement through the US Ministry of Magic made the suspicion of his involvement quite believable, indeed."

"But was he?" Albus reclaimed his seat. "Hal, I don't suppose you are aware of the details of Morgan's history before he relocated to the States with his family?"

"Not at the moment, but I can certainly look into it."

Alphard shifted impatiently. "As I stated to Sirius earlier this morning, I had only ever heard snippets of what happened to Roderick Morgan. It strikes me that you could fill in the gaps in my knowledge on that score, as well, Hal. I knew Cygnus was found dead with him and that the prevailing theory was that my nephew was responsible for the other man's death before succumbing to his own injuries. I do recall some controversy about that theory once news was received by the family in London. In fact, knowing Cygnus as I did, I found the story to be a bit incredible. You should know that both Sirius and Kate agree."

"Of course," Hal said. "As you may already know, when Black and Morgan were found late one night in an alley in Boston, Massachusetts, Morgan was already dead; Black was dying. By virtue of an onsite examination of the body, it was determined that there had been a duel, hexes had been thrown and Morgan killed outright as a result. Black had sustained irreversible spell damage and died before he could be questioned. The US Ministry determined that Black had killed Morgan and the case was closed."

"I believe the controversy of which you speak comes from those here – in Britain - who believe that the case was closed far too soon," Albus added. "Based on the extent of Cygnus Black's injuries, there are many who consider it highly unlikely that he could have sustained that much spell damage and then had enough strength to cast the Killing Curse on Morgan."

"But it wouldn't have been impossible," Hal put in. "And so their arguments did not advance very far. There was grumbling and a certain amount of threatening, but in the end the file was closed and locked away in a cabinet to gather dust. Without a credible witness to the events of that night, there was nothing to be gained from keeping it open. The secrets died with Black and Morgan, as far as both Ministries were concerned."

Alphard shook his head. "Cygnus wasn't the most powerful of wizards, you know." He glanced over at Albus. "You remember him, of course. He was always on the puny side – always trying to prove his mettle. His magic was, indeed, Dark, but he was always too impatient to fully perfect control and execution. To my memory, Cygnus didn't consider sequence and best effect for his spells – and it made him a very substandard dueler, I'm afraid."

"That would seem to support his poor performance against Morgan," Hal observed. "But I'm not sure that it would support the theory that he couldn't have cast the Killing Curse once Morgan thought he'd bested him."

"Roderick Morgan was rumored to be an excellent dueler," Albus stated. "I cannot imagine that he would have turned his back on an opponent while that person still had the capacity to cast any spell at all."

"Are you suggesting that there was a third person present?" Alphard asked, glancing between the other two men.

"It was suggested at the time, but dismissed due to the fact that all evidence pointed to the deaths being the result of a duel between the two wizards present," Hal explained. "The Muggle FBI purported to have completed a thorough forensic sweep of the area and they advised our Ministry that no evidence was found to suggest that there was anyone present other than the two men who were found on the scene."

"But Muggles wouldn't know to check for trace magic or spells to clear a magical footprint from an area," Alphard rejoined.

"You're right, of course – and there was a mention made of our Ministry officials going in and performing just such a sweep after the FBI was finished with the scene."

Alphard looked directly at Hal. "And, of course, they found nothing."

Hal shook his head. "Their results were inconclusive. The FBI utilizes various chemical agents to retrieve impressions from soft earth, the clothing and other items found both on the bodies and around the immediate scene. These agents can pollute some magical properties – and completely dispel others. Such chemicals were used that night."

"I can't understand why they would not permit our Ministry officials to perform the first sweep of the crime scene; they had to know that there was time sensitivity in addition to the chemical interaction to consider," Alphard's voice rose in frustration.

"Perhaps they didn't know," Hal reasoned, his voice calm. "Perhaps they weren't told. You must remember that the relationship between the two governments was in its infancy – and quite restricted to the Muggle/Magical Law Enforcement agencies. The Muggle officials would very likely not have known what questions to ask and, sorry to say, I would imagine that there was a fair amount of skepticism on their part to begin with. Roderick Morgan was the chief liaison from our MLE and was responsible for building much of the relationship as well as educating their agents. When he went down, well … much of the Magical world's credibility was impaired as a result."

"You said, "chief liaison"," Albus said. "Were there others?"

Hal nodded. "Yes, but they were not all globally identified. Some of our representatives worked undercover to protect themselves and to give us greater flexibility to assist in the investigation of Muggle corruption within their ranks. To this day, there are operatives in place both in America and throughout the UK who are working covertly. Only the highest ranking officials in both governments know their identities."

"So, there could have been a traitor – a double agent or sorts – who could easily have vanished evidence…"Albus began.

"…or have been a third party to the duel – either as a participant or a witness," Hal finished.

"All of which brings us to the obvious question: what relevance do these events have on our current situation?" A note of impatience had crept back into Alphard's voice. It was obvious to all that his thoughts had never strayed far from his great-nephew and the potential danger these circumstances posed for him.

"Hal?" Albus deferred to Hal.

"Well, first of all, let's review what we know based on our discussion here today." Hal began ticking off items on his fingers as he spoke. "Thomas O'Hanlon has been party to two recent marriages: his daughter's – to the scion of a very old, pureblood family – and his own, to a woman who was born of one old and respected pureblood line – while also the widow of a man born of another. A woman, we might add, he has known for a relatively short period of time. O'Hanlon has become enmeshed with a group of wizards who are huge supporters of the Dark Arts, a group that includes his new son-in-law's father, Eduard Bullstrode, Orion Black and Abraxas Malfoy, among others." Hal paused and looked at the older wizards. "As we think about it, gentlemen, Thomas O'Hanlon also connects to Kate, not only through her mother, but by virtue of his affiliation with Orion Black, through Sirius, as well."

"And through you, Alphard," Albus remarked. "By virtue of his appearance here today."

"Brandishing a photograph of Sirius, which he claimed to be courtesy of Orion," Alphard's tone was sharp. "And the boy is more concerned about the danger posed to Kate – and to me – than he is about himself."

"Typical Sirius," Albus replied. "And not completely off the mark, either. Kate and he are both safe whilst at school. _You_, however, do not enjoy the protection of Hogwarts' castle and are, therefore, more vulnerable."

Alphard waved him off impatiently, but Hal leapt into the discussion. "He's right, Alphard. You are technically out of my jurisdiction, as well. I think that you have far more exposure than either Sirius or Kate at this point." Hal withdrew a small, wire bound notebook and a biro. "Tell me again about your visit with O'Hanlon."

"Wasn't much of a visit," the older wizard snorted. "He introduced himself as someone acquainted with my family through his recent relocation to London – and his past acquaintance with Cygnus Black. I informed him that my family and I were no longer … _close_. A little warmth went out of the room at that, but he recovered quickly enough. O'Hanlon produced Sirius' photograph and said that he'd obtained it from Orion. With that, he proceeded to paint a portrait of a very concerned father, anxious to make connections with his estranged son. Even had the gall to comment that given my own situation with the family, I should understand how lonely Sirius might be without his proper family. I asked him how he happened to be so well acquainted with my nephew to be taken into his confidence about such a personal matter as Sirius' relationship with his blood relatives. He seemed a bit flustered at that and made mention of the fact that he and Orion were business acquaintances and that over drinks one evening, Orion had spoken of Sirius' estrangement and how he had turned his back on all that his family had stood for. He recounted the incident with Bellatrix and Edgar Bones' son in Hogsmeade as an example of how far off the rails his elder son had gone – denouncing the family in public and taking up for a non-pureblood child in the bargain. O'Hanlon also brought up Sirius' responsibility in the breaking of the marriage contract with Eduard Bullstrode's daughter and said that my nephew – and his _wife_, mind – were 'distraught' over it all. He indicated that his wife was so distraught that she had recently been quite unlike herself."

Hal stopped taking notes for a moment. "Interesting that he raised Bullstrode's name – and the broken marriage contract – but never indicated that his daughter had married the Bullstrode heir."

"Never indicated that he had a daughter, come to that – _or _a new wife." Alphard caught and held Albus' gaze. "Truth be told, I saw him as something of a blow-hard from the off – a newcomer who had set about to make the acquaintance of prominent families in London to advance his own cause. At the time, I thought his 'cause' was to improve his financial and social prospects. His casual repetition of a comment supposedly made by Orion about Walburga seemed odd to me, though at the time I couldn't have said _why_. He was on to the next comment before I could pause for thought."

"What did O'Hanlon say was _his _purpose in approaching _you_?" Hal flipped the paper over and prepared to take additional detail.

"Two-fold," the older wizard continued. "Orion had mentioned that Sirius was close to only one member of the Black family – _me_. Of course, this is untrue as the boy is also very fond of his cousin, Andromeda, as well. She married a Muggle-born, which is, of course, unconscionable to the Blacks. I found it curious – but somewhat relieving – to know that Orion hadn't mentioned Andie's name, too."

"If he even mentioned _yours_," Albus put in. "It's conceivable that O'Hanlon learned about you from other sources; Abraxas comes to mind as he, too, is related to the Blacks."

"I hadn't thought of that, but you're right, of course," Alphard agreed, twisting the ends of his beard where they rested in his lap.

"You were talking about O'Hanlon's purpose in visiting you," Hal prompted after several moments had passed.

"Ah, yes," Alphard roused himself from his thoughts. "As I say, Orion spoke of his terrible disappointment in Sirius' defection from the family and his certainty that Sirius would find a way to contact me about his departure. O'Hanlon – altruistic wizard that he'd have us believe he is – offered to contact me on Orion's behalf during his upcoming trip to Paris. He saw it as a way to assist a business associate with a great deal of family friction on his plate. He created the impression that it would strengthen their business relationship."

"Oh, I'm sure that it _would_," Albus spoke very quietly. "My concern is that the relationship that would be strengthened is one that we are all trying to desperately to knock down before it gains any firmer a foothold in our world. Alphard, please continue."

"Obviously, O'Hanlon's first intent was for me to agree to facilitate some sort of reconcilement between Sirius and his family – work to convince Sirius that he must listen to his father and put the family ahead of any outside influences he might have encountered. Even went so far as to suggest that in these troubled times, families should band strongly together – especially the _old _families – to shut out those who would seek to separate us," Alphard said. "O'Hanlon offered me the opportunity to set up the meeting on a date and time of my choosing and at a location that felt safe to both Sirius and me. Once he brought the proposal to Orion, O'Hanlon felt certain that he would agree to it. We would, of course, keep the entire plan between ourselves to enhance the security of our meeting and, of course, to avoid disappointing Orion if the meeting had to be postponed. There seemed to be little question in his mind that Orion would be able to convince Sirius to come back into the family fold – once he was able to bring the two of them together."

"I'm certain that he did not," Hal said grimly. "We've seen sufficient evidence of how the Black family _convinces _its members to yield to its wishes, haven't we?"

"You said that his reason for seeing you was two-fold," Albus reminded the other wizard. "What was the second?"

"Wondered if I might not be able to assist him with making some connections here in Paris – _business _connections, as it were. He said that it was his understanding from my nephew that I had been living in France for quite some time and might be able to introduce him to some of 'the right people' that would assist him in his own business endeavors," Alphard smiled. "Most unfortunate of him to ask, wouldn't you say, Albus?"

"Indeed," Albus' smile was nearly as broad as Alphard's own. "Quite an error in judgment on his part, I believe."

Hal looked between the two older wizards as he stilled his pen over the paper. "Would either of you care to enlighten me on your sudden good humor?"

"I believe, Hal, that in the re-telling of his meeting with O'Hanlon, Alphard has had a bit of an awakening."

Alphard nodded. "I'm ashamed of the fact that it didn't occur to me before. Your comment about the potential for O'Hanlon to have other sources of information started me thinking. I'm convinced that O'Hanlon's a very gifted storyteller, indeed. I'm _certain_ that O'Hanlon learned his facts elsewhere."

"How so?"

"Orion Black holds his reputation in very high esteem, Hal – and guards it carefully. Unless O'Hanlon had stumbled over her while wandering through the halls of the Paris sanitarium where Walburga had been 'evaluated', and Orion was therefore forced to do so, he would _never _have even _alluded_ to any possible defect or weakness she might possess – particularly not to a virtual stranger," Alphard stated. "But that was not his true mistake; _that _came when he asked for my assistance in introducing him to the 'right people' for business purposes – at the suggestion of my nephew. Orion Black wouldn't utter my name without a curse behind it. To suggest that he would recommend _me _as a reference for O'Hanlon's Paris business dealings is more than laughable. I could have accepted that his plea for intervention where Sirius was concerned was the bothersome, self-obsessed meddling of someone unfamiliar with our history and anxious to advance among purebloods. Once he finished speaking, I realized that O'Hanlon is a man who doesn't do his research – and apparently thought me too doddering or himself too crafty – to be caught out." Alphard glanced over at Albus with a self-deprecating smile. "It would seem that at first, he might have been right."

"Not at all, my friend," Albus assured him. "He came into your home, unexpected, waving a photograph of Sirius, whom you love dearly. It is completely understandable that you would focus on the threat rather than the inconsistencies of his tale. What matters is that you've seen them now – and we can act on them."

"I only wish I had had this epiphany whilst Sirius was still here. I'm afraid that he's left with much concern that Kate's new stepfather poses a danger to her."

"He still might," Hal said. "It's obvious that O'Hanlon wants access to Sirius; the reason why is less clear with so many possibilities from which to choose. Does he wish to use him to get to Kate? That hardly seems likely given the fact that he's married her mother and will have much easier access to her through that connection. It strikes me that his desire to access Sirius may very well have more to do with his own agenda and he doesn't have much compunction about dropping some fairly important names to try and get it. Orion Black, Abraxas Malfoy, Eduard Bullstrode, Roderick Morgan, Cygnus Black, Edgar Bones … there's been no lack of influential families mentioned in his tale." Hal closed his notebook. "I don't mind telling you that my head's spinning. If you don't mind, I'd like to postpone further discussion of this until I've had the chance to return to the office and do some research of my own. If you're agreeable, I can be back in touch by tomorrow evening and we can speak again."

The older wizards nodded in agreement.

"What about the young people?" Alphard asked.

"Given what we've deduced thus far, I believe that having them out of London is paramount," Hal said. "Not that I wouldn't enjoy their company for another evening, but I think they should be in your safe hands, Albus."

The headmaster nodded and turned to Alphard. "Speaking of which, I believe the same applies to you. O'Hanlon knows where you live, my friend. I cannot believe that he will not return."

Alphard shrugged. "I sincerely doubt it, Albus. I told him that I gave up knowing "the right kind of people" years ago and suggested that he pursue a list of contacts elsewhere. And, while he was about it, he might want to give up on his attempts to reunite the Black family – at least until he tried to understand a bit more about what he faced in doing so. He left in quite a huff."

"That's as may be, but I still believe that his purpose – known or hidden – will compel him to come back here to make a second attempt to convince you," Albus said. "You must know that if anything _untoward_ should happen to you, Sirius would be devastated. As you also are aware, the boy has a habit of acting rashly when his emotions are running high."

"And you have a suggestion that will prevent Sirius from doing so, no doubt," Alphard crossed his arms over his chest and met Albus' look with one of his own.

"As it happens, I do," Albus replied pleasantly. "I received an owl yesterday from our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Quirenius Quirrell has, regrettably, suffered a nasty fall whilst attempting to escape a rather persistent Mountain Troll in the Pyrenees. He's in hospital and will need a significant time to convalesce before he can return to his duties at Hogwarts – poor man. Professor Quirrell will be able to return to us sometime after the New Year, however until then, his misfortune leaves us in rather dire circumstances."

"Albus….."

"I'm sure that you can appreciate that a qualified DADA program is critical – particularly in these times…"

"Now, see here…"

"And _you_, my friend, possess all of the qualifications and war-time experience to be a most effective teacher for our students and of course, it's only temporary…"

"_Albus_!" Alphard's voice boomed loudly through the room.

"Yes, Alphard?"

"I am _not _a teacher!" The wizard's voice was slightly quieter, but no less firm.

"You are not a formally _certified_ teacher; a small matter given the topic – and your vast practical experience," Albus replied.

"My 'vast practical experience' was decades ago," Alphard's tone was slightly less adamant.

Albus smiled. "Which makes it no less valuable, my friend."

Alphard was silent and, sensing that victory was imminent, Albus went in for the kill. "And, of course, you would be able to watch over Sirius yourself – at least for half the year, as well as to spend time with him that you would not ordinarily have."

"It's blackmail, no less," Alphard grumbled.

"Such an ugly word," Albus said, smile firmly in place. "I prefer to think of it as a mutually beneficial arrangement between two old friends." He paused. "In addition to your housing, there's an excellent financial compensation attached to the position."

Alphard shook his head. "I don't need the sal…," he paused, a shrewd look settling on his face as he looked at the other wizard. "Then _again_, perhaps I do. Albus, I will agree to your 'mutually beneficial arrangement', provided that _you _agree to one request."

"And that is?"

"I would like my salary deposited directly into Sirius' vault at Gringott's. I am fortunate enough to have enough gold in my own to more than satisfy both my needs – and my extravagances. My great-nephew has been disowned by his parents and, although his tuition, room and board have been paid in full, he will have nothing extra once his own savings have been depleted. I want to remedy that. If you agree to my terms, I will agree to _temporarily_ take over your class. Have we a bargain?" Alphard extended his hand to Albus who immediately grasped it firmly.

"We do!"

"When do you require me?" Alphard asked.

"Students arrive one week from tonight and classes begin the following morning," Albus replied. "How much time would you require to settle matters here?"

"I am concerned about your suspicions regarding O'Hanlon and his potential return. My housekeeper, Marie, makes this her home and I should not like her to be in danger whilst I am gone. I would like to suggest that she take herself off on a holiday while I'm in Scotland. I do not know how long it would take her to make her plans," Alphard said, quietly. He looked around the room wistfully. "While my life – any life, come to that – is more important than any material possession, I shall be very sad should anything happen to this old place. I have enjoyed having this lovely apartment to call my home for so many years."

"If I may," Hal interjected. "Contrary to the Muggle world, the Magical Ministries of France and Britain have a very strong accord – a mutually friendly working relationship. I could ask my counterpart to keep a discreet eye on your home in your absence."

Alphard's expression cleared. "I would be _most_ grateful for that, Hal – mostgrateful, _indeed_!"

"Now that Hal's sorted this out for us, when do you feel you can join us?"

"I will speak with Marie when we've finished our discussion and, if all goes well, I should be able to leave this evening," Alphard said.

"I have a suggestion, then," Hal smiled. "If your housekeeper is unable to leave quickly, perhaps you would allow us to place someone here to provide interim security until she can go. If Albus agrees, perhaps you can surprise your great-nephew by joining them all on the Hogwarts Express later this afternoon," Hal glanced over at the headmaster who was smiling broadly, "if that can be arranged, Albus."

"It can, indeed, Hal!"

Alphard nodded. "I very much look forward to seeing the look on Sirius' face when he sees me aboard the train!"

"Speaking of which, we should depart and allow you to settle things with your staff," Hal remarked. "I need to make arrangements for an on-site MLE detail here, as well. And," he paused to glance at his watch, "I suspect Margaret may be wondering where I've got off to!"

"Feel free to use my Floo if you wish, Hal," Alphard offered. "I should speak with Marie. Albus, would you like to stay behind until we know the exact schedule so that you can alert your contacts for the train?"

Once the three wizards had set about their tasks to finalize all loose ends of their arrangements, things moved very quickly. After doggedly questioning both her employer and Albus until she was satisfied that Alphard would be safe in the castle, Marie contacted her sister in Nice and made arrangements to stay with her for the duration of Alphard's assignment at Hogwarts. As the two women did not see one another as often as either would like, this was an unexpected and happy opportunity.

With Marie sorted and the rest of the staff given a month's holiday pay after which their agency could find them temporary employment until Alphard's return, the wizard directed his efforts toward packing which he completed swiftly. In the interim, Hal had made contact with Margaret and confirmed that she and the students were at the hotel, awaiting his return. He had brought them up to speed with the plans – absent Alphard's return with them later in the day – and assured them that he would be along shortly to accompany them on the journey to London. Alphard and Albus were going to travel together as far as Kings Cross, where the headmaster would see his friend safely on the Express, then Apparate to the school to await their arrival.

Once they had bidden farewell to Hal and to Alphard's staff, the two wizards prepared to leave. "I _do _wish I was able to travel with you and the students," Albus said, smiling. "It could be one of the few times that Sirius and his friends are stunned into silence!"

"Come _on_, Prongs; just drop the trunk in this first compartment so we can get our seats!" Sirius heeded his own advice and shoved his trunk between the two benches until it _thumped_ against the compartment wall.

"Can't imagine your hurry, Pads; we're the only students on the train, for the love of Merlin!" James slid his trunk in after Sirius, grumbling and muttering under his breath the whole time. It was with much less drama that Remus, Kate and Lily disposed of _their _trunks and soon, the five friends were moving, single-file, down the narrow passageway.

James was still muttering to himself as he brought up the rear of their little party and so did not realize that everyone had come to a stop until he crashed into Remus.

"What in _bloody _hell is going on?" The boy straightened his glasses and tried to peer 'round his friend.

"There seems to be some sort of distraction in that end compartment," Remus replied. "_Sirius_! Move on or step aside!"

At the front of the line, Sirius had, indeed, frozen to his spot. "Uncle Alphard?" His voice was incredulous, pitched so low as to be heard only by the wizard seated in the compartment in question.

"Yes, my boy?" Alphard grinned, cocking his head to one side. When Sirius still stood in the entryway, his mouth moving but producing no speech, Alphard laughed aloud. "Surprised, are we?"

Sirius managed a shaky nod, at which time the others had managed to elbow their way around so they could see the object of their friend's focused attention. Their reaction tickled the old wizard as four additional jaws simultaneously went slack.

"Hello, children," he called, smiling.

Sirius finally managed to find his tongue. "Uncle, I don't…what are you..."

"Why don't you come in and sit down? We've a long trip ahead of us and it's a fascinating story, indeed!"


	63. Uncertain TimesDisclosures Long Past Du

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 63 – Uncertain Times & Disclosures Long Past Due

Three of the four Marauders arrived in Gryffindor Tower and wasted no time in settling themselves back in their dormitory. James had found a message from Peter that promised his arrival on Wednesday – the earliest his mother would allow him to leave her. _And I'm meant to be _grateful _for _that_, _his missive had said, displaying a taste of bitterness that his three mates felt was a bit uncharacteristic of the friend they knew. Deciding that there was little to be done until Peter actually returned and they could all spend time together again, James, Sirius and Remus turned their attention back to the most interesting topic of the moment: Alphard Black – and his presence in Hogwarts castle.

Sirius had brought the others up to speed on his conversation with his uncle, and the appearance of Thomas O'Hanlon. Alphard had stated that Sirius possessed only the necessary facts of the tale – and that was certainly true. The older wizard was equally accurate in his prediction that his great-nephew was sure to put his very capable mind to the task to riddle out the rest. Alphard's presence on the train had momentarily distracted the young wizard from his ruminations; once he was alone with his mates, however, he returned to the puzzle full bore.

"Doesn't it seem to you like there's more to tell?" James sat cross-legged on his bed, his prized Nimbus 1000 across his lap and his newly acquired broom conditioning kit open beside him. He paused, twig clippers in mid-air as he looked over at Sirius. "I mean, really – why would your father go to O'Hanlon for help in getting you back into the family fold?"

Sirius shrugged, torn between wanting to tell them everything he knew – including what Kate had shared about her father's death – and hesitating to share the secrets of another. _Still, it's not _really _a secret, is it? It's more history; history that could help protect Kate._

"Padfoot?"

Sirius was pulled from his internal debate by the sound of Remus' voice. When he turned to answer, Sirius noted the look of concern on his friend's face – and he felt his own flush in response. _Secrets told to protect others. We've been _there _before, haven't we_?

"What is it?" Remus asked, kindly.

Sirius shook his head. "There _is _more to it," he said. "But the story isn't mine to tell."

Remus drew a breath. "Sometimes, when all the options are weighed, and if it is for the _right _reason, telling someone else's story is the right thing to do." His voice was mild, but Remus' eyes never left Sirius' face.

"That was unexpected, Remus," Sirius responded easily, returning his friend's frank gaze.

"More than one lesson can be learned from a single mistake," came the gentle response. "And learned by more than one person. Not all stories involve secrets; not all situations are alike."

Sirius swallowed thickly and nodded. "Thanks, Moony."

"Right," James piped up from his corner, where he had observed the exchange and was anxious to move on. "Out with it, Pads."

With small smile in Remus' direction, Sirius began to relay the tale that Kate had shared about her parents' courtship, marriage and the events that befell them all - courtesy of her grandfather's affiliation with Orion Black. When he had finished, James let out a low whistle.

"_Blimey_. The Blacks _do _get around, don't they?"

"All the way to America, apparently," Remus nodded.

James carefully placed his broom at the foot of his bed, then reached over into his night stand and pulled open the drawer. Pulling out a rather crumpled piece of parchment, he tossed it onto the bed and turned to Remus. "Oi, Moony; have you got one of those Muggle biros? I can't be arsed to dig around in my trunk for a quill." Moments later, the young wizard deftly caught the pen that Remus tossed over to him. "Thanks, mate. So, let's see how this fits together."

"What do you mean, Jamie?" Sirius crossed the room and sat down next to his friend.

"We've got a lot to figure out – and a lot of information to sift through, right? Not to mention all the witches and wizards who've popped up in all the various events we've either lived through or heard about. I don't think we'll be able to make any kind of real sense of it all until we get it down on parchment where we can start to look at it to see if there are any common threads," James explained.

Sirius and Remus exchanged a look and Remus came over to join the other three. Sirius nudged James' shoulder. "Remember how you told me you couldn't make up your mind about becoming a professional Quidditch player or an Auror after school was over?" James nodded. "Go with Auror. You seem to have the knack for investigations." Sirius ducked to avoid a sharp _thwack_ on the top of his head.

"All right; let's get started with the 'who' of it all," James said, pen poised to write. "We'll start a column for each wizard or witch we know of now and line up beneath them the names of others we know are connected to them in this whole mess. When we're finished, we should be able to narrow one master list down to those who appear everywhere."

Remus frowned. "But if we follow that logic, won't everyone be connected to … well, _everyone else_?"

James shook his head. "No. Part of the process will be categorizing the names and identifying _how _they're connected. There will be some who are innocent bystanders, others will be family members – do you see where I'm going, Moony?"

Remus nodded. "Perhaps it will also give us an idea of who _else _might be involved – based on the other affiliations of those on the list. Good thinking, James."

James re-positioned his pen and looked over at Sirius. "Shall we start with your family, Pads?"

Sirius shrugged. "Might just as well; they're all over this, aren't they?"

"So, there's your father," James said, writing _Orion Black_ at the top of the page and drawing a line under his name. "Who is connected to Kate's grandfather, her _father _– and to Kate." James finished writing the list and sat up. "I suppose that to be accurate, I should add _your _name, as well, Padfoot."

"In the interest of being _accurate_, yes," Sirius rolled his eyes. "He's my _father_, Prongs; it would be difficult for him _not _to be connected to me, wouldn't you say?"

Remus took a breath. "You're not finished, James. You need to add Kate's mother, based on your plan to categorize his associates and, of course there's Cygnus Black, Eduard Bullstrode, Abraxas Malfoy, Rosier, Antonin Dolohov and Orcus Mulciber." He paused as James added the men to the column of names. "And one more; Thomas O'Hanlon."

The young wizards were silent as James added the name. When he had finished, he wrote the name Cygnus Black at the head of a new column and underscored it. The first person added beneath the heading was _Orion Black_ and the second was _Roderick Morgan_. James' finger ran down the list of names beneath Orion's column, pausing on the last. With a brief glance up at Sirius, he added a third name, _Thomas O'Hanlon_. "I can see a pattern forming," he murmured.

"Not too surprising, is it?" Sirius replied, gaze fixed on the parchment. "Should you add me, as well?"

James shook his head. "I don't think so, Pads. You didn't know him after all."

Sirius shifted restlessly. "I still think I should be there. You can tag me as 'family' – more's the pity – and remove me later if you need to do that."

James added his name at the end of the column.

"Do we know of any of Cygnus' _other _affiliates?" Remus wondered aloud, thinking back to the story Sirius had earlier recounted.

"Rosier, Dolohov and Mulciber," Sirius said quietly. "And Eduard Bullstrode."

"Right," James said, adding the last name.

The boys continued their work without interruption – and without notice of the time. The sound of a knock on the partially closed dormitory door roused them sharply from their task.

"That _can't _be anything productive," Lily observed, lifting her chin in the direction of the ink-covered parchment in James lap.

Remus and Sirius rose quickly from their seats as James put the parchment into his bed stand drawer.

"What are you hiding over there, James? A monumental stunt designed to let the whole of the school know that the four of you are back in good stead? " Lily started to walk over toward James' bed, but Remus handily blocked her path.

"Christmas list," he said with a crooked smile. "You wouldn't want to spoil any surprises, would you?"

Lily put her hands on her hips and looked appraisingly at her friend. "'_Christmas list_'," she repeated skeptically. "You actually expect us to believe that James Potter is thinking about Christmas - in _August_?"

James slid around Remus and looped his arm around the redhead's waist. "Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf, Lils," he said with a smile. "So, what brings you to the Gryffindor _boys_' dormitory, Miss Evans? Did you miss me enough to break the rules, perhaps?"

Lily's face flushed, but she recovered herself quickly. "While you three were working on your _Christmas_ _lists_, Kate and I visited the kitchens and have sandwiches and butter beer down by the fire in the Common Room." She gently disengaged herself from James' arm and stepped quickly toward the doorway. "Now, if you're too occupied with your project to join us, I'm sure we can bring it over to Professor McGonagall's sitting room and share it with _her_!" Lily stepped into the hallway and started for the stairs. "You know, that's not a bad idea. Forget that I bothered you," she called over her shoulder as she disappeared from view. "Kate!"

The boys paused long enough to look at each other before racing after the young witch. They stepped off the last stair and entered the Common Room to find both girls sitting on the sofa, looking over at them in great amusement.

"'_I'm sure we can bring it over to Professor McGonagall's sitting room and share it with _her'," James mimicked Lily's earlier threat. "I _knew_ you wouldn't prefer her company to ours." He took a seat next to his girlfriend and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Well, perhaps not _today_," Lily allowed. "But there _are _moments!"

Sirius handed Kate a bottle of butter beer before lifting one in Remus' direction. "Here you go, Moony." Settling down next to Kate with his own bottle, the young wizard sighed contentedly. "Now, _this _is the way the Common Room should always be: filled with a lovely fire, beautiful witches and plenty of butter beer!"

Remus lowered himself into a deep armchair and stretched his long legs out over the matching ottoman. "I will have to agree with you there, Padfoot!"

"'_Padfoot_'," Lily snorted. "You know, since you told us the _logic_ behind that nickname, I swear I've never _once _seen you wandering about in your stocking-feet! I smell a _rat_, I believe!"

James' eyebrows rose into his very untidy hairline. "What does a _rat_ have to do with it?" His eyes darted about the room as if checking to see if a very familiar rodent had made his way into the Tower.

Remus shot a warning glance at the disconcerted wizard. "It's a Muggle expression, Prongs; that's all."

Sirius felt Kate's fingers tighten around his own but the couple remained silent.

"And it means that there's something _off _about this whole situation," Lily added. "_Prongs_, _Padfoot_; I think there's more to all of this than you've told us."

The redhead looked round the room at the wizards who were now looking everywhere _but _in her direction.

Sirius attempted to inject a bit of levity. "Come now, Lils; I've already explained James' nickname to you. Surely, by now you need no further description." He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively and was dismayed when Lily's demeanor did not change. _Not going to be as easy as it was the first time, then. _Sirius chanced a look at James, then Remus. _Maybe it's time to bring them in on _all _our secrets; they can certainly be trusted – they've proven _that_ time and again over the past year. _

"Mates?" James' voice called Sirius back from his own thoughts. When their eyes met, James lifted his eyebrows slightly – first in Sirius' direction, then in Remus', receiving barely perceptible nods from both. "Right." James pushed himself up and off the couch and perched on the low table in front of the sofa. Remus joined him.

"I'm not sure I like this," Lily murmured, gazing at the wizards in front of her. Turning her attention to James, she spoke quietly. "This isn't simply another of your outrageous Marauder moments, is it?"

James reached for her hand. "No, Lily; it's not. _Although_, I'm sure there would be any number of people who would think '_outrageous_' to be accurate if they knew what I'm - what _we're_ – about to tell you. Lily, Kate – that's the thing here: no one else _can _know! Not your parents, your sister, _no one_. You both must promise us."

Kate and Lily looked at each other then back at James. "Of course we promise," Kate said, shifting her glance to Sirius as Lily also verbalized her agreement.

Sirius squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I couldn't tell you everything this summer; only Padfoot was mine to tell. Forgive me?" His whispered confession over, he drew back to look at her face. Kate nodded, smiling softly and Sirius rose to join his friends.

"We should probably move some of this out of the way," Remus said. Soon, the wizards had cleared a considerable space between the hearth and the sofa on which the girls still sat. Satisfied they had sufficient room for what they had planned Sirius and Remus withdrew to one side, yielding the floor to James.

"Right. Well, here's the thing. When we found out about Remus, we hated that he had to go through his transformations alone every month. We knew there was nothing we could do for him as human beings, at least not without putting ourselves – and Remus – at great risk. We spent so much time researching the problem and finally discovered a way that we _could _be with him each full moon – and perhaps prevent the wolf from hurting himself so badly." James paused, running his fingers through his hair and obviously searching for something more that would explain their decision.

"Prongs," Sirius said quietly. "Perhaps you should just show them, yeah? I think it's time."

James looked at Lily once more, then closed his eyes and summoned the magic that would complete his transformation. Moments later, he opened his eyes and gazed down at two obviously astounded young women.

"Ladies, say hello to _Prongs_," Sirius said, approaching the large stag and patting his shoulder.

Lily rose first, taking a tentative first step toward her boyfriend in his amended form. James stood still, but lowered his head slightly as Lily reached up, resting a finger against a sturdy antler. "_Prongs_," she whispered, running her finger along the smooth surface then dropping her hand to stroke the side of his face.

"Lovely," Kate said softly, coming up to the stag's other side and patting his shoulder as Sirius had done.

Suddenly the shimmer of magic surrounded them and the stag disappeared, leaving an obviously insulted – and very human – James Potter standing before them.

"_Lovely_?" James grumbled, but his face softened as Lily hugged him.

Sirius snorted. "I think you've insulted his ego, Katie-girl. Jamie prefers to be described as 'majestic' and 'powerful' when he's strutting about in all his antlered glory. Feeling a bit doe-like, are we, James?"

"Shut it, you," James responded, adding, "I believe it's to you, _Padfoot_." He and Lily stepped to one side and Kate resumed her seat on the sofa where she could watch Lily's face. She caught Remus' eye and he dropped her a quick wink – which she returned. _This should be fun. _

Sirius took James' place in front of the hearth and grinned at Lily. Seconds later, the large, black dog that was _his _alter ego stood before them.

Kate chuckled. "Isn't he _lovely_, Lils?"

The stunned redhead looked over at Kate and shook her head. "I can't believe it," she said, jumping slightly as Padfoot's cold nose nudged her hand. "Stop that," she commanded when Padfoot licked her fingers. The dog huffed and sat down hard in front of her, cocking his head and staring at the young witch with Sirius' brilliant blue eyes. Lily finally laughed and patted the top of his head. "He _does _make a lovely dog, doesn't he?"

Sirius growled before transforming back into his normal state and it was James' turn to laugh. "Care to take back that 'doe' comment, Pads? Or are you feeling a bit _bitc-…"_

"Alright, Prongsie; I take it back. No need to expand that thought any further!" Sirius rose from the floor and reclaimed his seat next to Kate.

"So, you transform and keep Remus company in the shack every month?" Lily asked, looking from one wizard to the other.

"They do," Remus nodded. "And, as you've noticed, I have suffered significantly less injury than before they accomplished this feat."

"What about Peter?" Kate suddenly thought of the absent member of the Marauders' quartet. "Is he…."

Sirius spoke first. "Yes; he's an Animagus, as well. He's not very fond of his form, but he's dead useful in freezing that bloody Whomping Willow every month!" At Kate's curious expression, he continued with a wry smile, "He's a rat we've named 'Wormtail'. You can now better understand Prongs' earlier panic when you said you smelt a rat, Lils." The group laughed.

Lily shook her head. "Animagi; who would have thought it? It's very advanced magic."

"Surprised we accomplished it, are you?" Sirius asked, but there was no malice in his tone.

"No, actually," Lily replied. "When you get something into your heads – and it means enough to you to see it through – I've learned that you can be quite dedicated; quite successful, as well. I _am _amazed that you've managed to keep it quiet. How long have you been Animagi?"

"Almost a year," James confessed and shifted nervously at Lily's incredulous gaze. "Listen, it wasn't all that difficult. We don't transform more than once a month. We transform well away from the castle – and no one sees us but Remus."

"But you didn't tell anyone; that's not like any of you," Lily protested. "You've been the center of everyone's attention for years – bragging about your accomplishments. If you were ever to brag about _anything_, I would have thought it would be _this_. It makes no sense to me that you wouldn't …." She stopped speaking and closed her eyes as an idea formed and grew in her head. "You're not registered, are you?"

"No," said James. "And we _won't_, so don't campaign for it, Lils. We did this for Remus and if the Ministry were to find out that three students risked themselves with such advanced magic on his behalf, they could use it against him."

"And since we did this to keep him safe to start with, there's no way we're going to have any part in endangering him with the Ministry or anyone _else_," Sirius put in, his tone as adamant as James' had been.

Lily held up her hand. "I understand. And I love Remus, too. I would _never _be a party to anything that could hurt you, Remus – or any of you." The redhead looked over at her best friend. "Kate, I would suspect that you agree with me on this."

Kate nodded. "Very much so. I won't fuss at you to register and I'll keep the secret. I promise."

"I promise, as well," Lily said.

"Brilliant!" Remus offered the first comment in quite some time, his face and tone reflecting his gratitude at the reception his friends' Animagi status had received.

In short order, the room had been returned to its original condition and the five friends to their former places.

"Well, then," James began. "Now that we've settled _that _bit of news, perhaps we can chat about something else for awhile; although I will tell you that I can't imagine anything being quite as impressive as what you've just experienced!"

"Oh, I don't know," Lily replied. "Alphard Black becoming the new DADA professor seems a fair rival for the title. What do you make of it?"

Sirius glanced briefly at James and Remus. They had talked about his great-uncle's appointment on the train and the boys' earlier exercise in the dormitory evidenced their collective belief that the entire story had not been told. _Why should Kate and Lily feel any differently, after all?_

"You heard Uncle Alphard on the train; some wizard showed up at his door with a picture of me and a story about getting me back in my family's good graces," Sirius said. "He said he was a business acquaintance of my father's and thought he'd do him a good turn and try and make contact with me. Uncle Alphard didn't much care for him – or his story – and neither did Dumbledore. He figured that it was better if Uncle Alphard wasn't as _accessible_ for future visits. Quirrell was out of commission in the mountains somewhere – courtesy of a very accommodating troll – so Dumbledore asked Uncle Alphard to take over DADA temporarily," Sirius' delivery had become a bit monotone by this point in his recitation; _everyone_ _had already heard this earlier in the day on the train, after all … well, a somewhat altered version of what I already knew_.

"But who was this _wizard_ and why was he enough to motivate Dumbledore to move your uncle out of Paris and into Hogwarts?" Kate wondered aloud. "I mean – think about it…"

"Think about _what_?" Sirius' voice rose slightly. "Look, we all know that there is any number of dark wizards out there – any of whom would be very happy to do my father's bidding. Why would this one cause any more concern to him than another? Besides, Uncle Alphard worked to help defeat Grindelwald; he can certainly take care of himself against the current crop of extremists."

Kate put her hand on Sirius' arm and spoke quietly. "Sirius, I think Dumbledore was concerned about _both_ of you. It's more than an _extremist,_ after all. Based on what your uncle told us, your father is somehow involved with this wizard and would likely send someone else on his errand if this messenger was unsuccessful. I'm certain that Dumbledore anticipated this. Moving your uncle to Hogwarts will protect him from any more aggressive messengers that might be sent."

Sirius shook his head. "Look Kate - you know that I spoke with my father after I'd left Grimmauld Place. He knows that I'm not coming home – that I no longer consider myself a Black. Orion Black is many things, but stupid isn't one of them. He knows that there's no _messenger_ he can send who will change that." _And this particular messenger is way too close to _you _for my own comfort_. _Leave it alone, Katie._

"But your mother has already voiced her own desire to see you; Dumbledore brought _you _here early to protect you from _her_. Perhaps your father isn't really motivating the situation," Kate pointed out in reply. "Perhaps he's appeasing your mother with these attempts to set up some sort of contact with you."

_Apparently, 'leaving it alone' isn't on today's agenda._ Sirius took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about her; I don't even want to _think_ about her. Look, we just got here; we've got a week before everyone else arrives. Can we just _please_ leave it for now?"

Kate looked at him sharply and, seeing the tension in his face, nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."

I'm _sorry, Kate_. Sirius rose. "I'll be back later." He headed over to the stairs leading to the dormitory and disappeared from view.

Moments later, footsteps were heard on the staircase as Sirius made his way back downstairs and moved swiftly through the common room and out the portrait hole.

"Well, _that _was certainly odd," Lily observed, looking around at the others. "I wonder where he's gone…"

James and Remus exchanged brief look before James spoke. "Dunno, but Uncle Alphard would be my best guess. Let's leave him to it."

XXXXXXXX

James' guess proved true. It took Sirius little time to traverse the distance between Gryffindor Tower and the second floor DADA classroom – and his uncle's rooms beyond it. As the conversation in the common room had unfolded, Sirius had recalled differences between his conversation with Uncle Alphard in Paris and the tale the older wizard had shared on the train. He had suspected that Dumbledore had discussed more with Alphard than the DADA position; what to tell the students – including Sirius – must have been part of that discussion. Sirius knew that Uncle Alphard would never lie to him – or withhold information if asked direct questions. As he approached the doors to the classroom, Sirius' hand closed around the parchment he'd shoved into his jeans pocket back in the dormitory. It was time for some direct questions.

Sirius walked through the open door to the DADA classroom, passing under the large dragon skeleton suspended from the high ceiling. Wall torches flared as he passed and their light cast a slight orange glow on the ancient bones as Sirius approached the wooden staircase that led to his uncle's quarters.

"Uncle Alphard?" Pausing in the doorway, Sirius looked quickly around the office. Other than the fire crackling merrily in the hearth, there was no sign of habitation. The young wizard tentatively crossed the threshold, acknowledging to himself that while these rooms might be assigned to his uncle, they were still the domain of the DADA professor. For the first time, Sirius found himself wondering just what kind of impact that might have on their relationship.

"Albus? Is that you?" Sirius jumped as his uncle's voice sounded from the open doorway at the back of the office.

"It's me, Uncle Alphard," Sirius replied, and was soon standing face to face with the older wizard.

"Sirius, my boy!" Alphard drew him into a warm hug. "What brings you here?"

Now that he was actually standing in the same room with Alphard, he found himself uncertain about how to begin. '_I don't think you've told me the whole story behind what happened in Paris' didn't seem to be the way to go. _

"I wanted to talk more about Thomas O'Hanlon," Sirius said in a rush.

"Ah. I suspected that this would happen." Alphard put his arm around Sirius' shoulders and gently guided him toward the sofa in his sitting room. As they sat down, Alphard gave him a wink. "I thought I might have had more of a chance to settle in before it did, though!"

Sirius smiled a bit ruefully and shrugged. "Would you rather I left?"

"No, but we may be interrupted; if we are, we will need to finish our conversation tomorrow. Acceptable?"

Sirius nodded. "Will it do me any good to ask who or what might interrupt us?"

Alphard chuckled. "Let's see where our conversation takes us before I decide whether or not I'll answer. Now, why don't you tell me what's bothering you."

"Why didn't you tell James, Lily, Kate and Remus everything you'd told me about what happened in your apartment?" Sirius decided to take the direct route.

His great-uncle responded in kind. "It wasn't prudent to do so. Can you guess why?"

"Because of Kate."

Alphard nodded once. "Partially, yes; but that is not the whole of it. You are already aware of the fact that James' father was part of my meeting with your Headmaster – and that he was there in his official capacity."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "But he's head of Wizarding Britain's MLE…" his voice trailed off as he gave in to the thoughts coursing through his brain.

_We were right about this one, Albus_, Alphard mused silently as he watched his great-nephew's face. _He will work it all out on his own if we do not tell him the whole of the matter. _

"This connects to the disappearances in London that Mr. Potter's been working on, doesn't it?" Sirius finally looked back at the older wizard, who nodded in response.

"It may; we do not know all of the details as yet. Would you mind very much if _I _asked _you_ a question?" When Sirius shook his head, Alphard continued, "How much have you shared with your friends?"

"Nothing more about what we discussed," Sirius answered honestly. "But …" he stood and fished the parchment from his pocket. Sitting once again, Sirius unfolded the paper, smoothing out the wrinkles against his leg before speaking again. "… we've done a bit of sleuthing of our own."

Alphard took the parchment now extended toward him with a nod. "Amazing how right an old wizard can be sometimes," he muttered as he scanned the sheet of names. After a moment or two, he spoke in a more normal tone. "Tell me about your _sleuthing_."

Alphard listened intently as Sirius re-told the thought process behind the list of names, nodding at various points, but refraining from comment until the story of Kate's father came up – and Sirius explained that this, too, had been shared with his friends. He recalled his conversation with Remus earlier in the day. It was true, for all of his natural reluctance to tell Kate's story – there were times when disclosing the business of another was vital in ensuring their security.

"I know that there's more," Sirius finished. "And I know that _you _know what it is." He paused as if deliberating the advisability of further comment. Finally, his inner conflict was settled. "Whatever it is that I _don't _know is most likely being kept from me because you – or Dumbledore – think that I will react badly to it; that I will act stupidly and get hurt – or worse – in the process. Well, if _that's_ what you're thinking, you'd be wrong. You have no way of knowing this, but I did something stupid last term – something without thought – and almost lost everything that means anything to me. It's fixed now and I like to think that I've learned from it. I'm not saying that I'd _never_ do anything stupid again – just that I'm working really hard to think before I act. I think that list shows that James, Remus and I aren't going to hare off on some wild scheme."

"You know, Sirius, when Dumbledore, Hal and I met this afternoon, one of the first questions Albus asked me was how much you knew about my _visitor_. I told him that you knew only the facts but that I was concerned that there wasn't greater risk in keeping the details from you. It was my thought that you might just get it into your head to act alone and, for that, I apologize. I did you an injustice that I won't repeat. You should know that Dumbledore is concerned for your safety, as well – but _did _acknowledge that encouraging your _sleuthing_ – at least on an intellectual level – might hasten our own discovery process. Before you get too excited, however, his sense of caution prevailed and the decision _not _to share more information with you was upheld – and agreed upon by us all." Alphard leaned toward Sirius, never breaking his gaze. "I no longer agree with that decision." Alphard rose and walked toward the fireplace, taking some time to gaze into the flames before turning to speak again.

"We are facing dark times, Sirius – very dark times, indeed. I have said this to you before; I've made no secret of my thoughts on the matter. The last surge of darkness – _organized_ as it was – brought tremendous loss and destruction to our world. If the signs are any indication, what is to come has the potential to be far worse. I am going to tell you about my meeting this afternoon – on the condition that you give me your word that you will not act on this information. You may share it with your friends and you should feel free to examine the facts and explore the possibilities." Alphard paused and lifted the parchment. "It would certainly appear that you and your friends possess some rather distinct _investigatory_ skills."

Sirius smiled. "And to think that most people just admire us for our mischief-making abilities; well, the students, anyway."

"Is this finished?" Alphard returned to the couch, eyes moving over the parchment once again.

"Not yet," Sirius said. "We were just about finished compiling the list when the girls interrupted us. We barely got it back in James' drawer before Lily could grab it for a closer look. Poor Jamie wound up spinning a tale about Christmas lists to throw them off the scent."

"I rather thought those two were quite bright young witches," Alphard replied, looking over at the younger wizard. "You don't share my opinion, then?"

"Oh, they're definitely _bright_," Sirius nodded. "_Too _bright, if you ask me. I wouldn't necessarily mind having Lily's help, but if she's involved it would be harder to keep Kate out of it – particularly now, before the rest of the students are back in the castle." When Alphard didn't speak right away, Sirius looked up at him. He was surprised to see the stern expression that greeted him, but he held firm. "No."

Alphard sighed. "Sirius, I know that you want to protect her; believe me, I understand the sentiment. It was for your protection that I initially agreed to keep the additional details of my discussion with Hal and Albus from you. That said, it was ultimately for that same reason that I changed my mind."

"I don't understand the similarity here," Sirius' expression had moved from firm to defiant.

"Don't you? Come, come, boy; you're not stupid – _think_! The more that young woman knows, the better able to protect herself she will be – particularly when she is at home and away from the natural protections afforded her _here_. Would you have her walk into her home, with Thomas O'Hanlon present, with no knowledge of what transpired in Paris? Of his affiliation with your father? Of his suspected allegiances?" At this, Alphard raised the parchment again to emphasize his point.

Sirius felt himself tense further with each word that came from Alphard's mouth. When Alphard pushed the parchment toward him, Sirius caught sight of some of the names. Malfoy_. _Bullstrode_. Black. _Uncle Alphard was right. It was more dangerous for Kate _not _to be in on their suspicions and on-going discussions.

"Well?" Alphard's voice was softer, less terse than before.

"You're right, of course. She has to know. I'll tell her tonight."


	64. A New Term Begins

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: **None for this chapter

Chapter 64 – A New Term Begins

It was well into the evening before Sirius finally made his way back to the Gryffindor common room. As he climbed through the portrait-hole, he was surprised to find that James was alone – sitting on the floor at the low table and scratching away on a long piece of parchment. It was obvious that the young wizard was lost to his task, as he never acknowledged the presence of his friend until Sirius cleared his throat loudly.

"Bloody _hell_, Pads!" James jumped at the sound and glared at the other boy. "You shouldn't sneak up on a bloke like that; it's not healthy!"

Sirius smiled and grabbed a cushion from the couch. He dropped it on the floor across from his friend and was soon settled on it, arms folded on the table in front of him. "Where is everyone else?"

"Remus is in the library, trying to see if he can find anything useful about some of the characters we talked about earlier. Lily and Kate went to visit McGonagall." James lifted an eyebrow at his friend. "I'm to notify them immediately when you return. Of course, _my _definition of 'immediately' and _theirs_ is probably a bit different." He turned his attention back to his work. "You've been gone quite awhile."

Sirius nodded with a smile and pulled the folded parchment from his pocket. "Here. Whatever you're working on over there will probably be helped along by _this_, eh?"

James reached over and gave his friend a light slap to the side of his head. "Berk! Never thought of leaving a note that you'd taken this, did you? I mean – I _figured_ you'd pinched it, but you never know what Lily can manage when she puts her mind to it."

Sirius gave an exaggerated rub to the spot above his ear and grimaced at his friend. "She's managed to overlook your more annoying – and violent – tendencies, so I would tend to agree with you." He ducked in time to avoid another swat before his expression grew more solemn. "I showed the list to Uncle Alphard."

James nodded. "I thought you might have done. And?"

"_And_ he filled me in on the meeting he had with Dumbledore and yourfather," Sirius paused; James' reaction was exactly as expected.

"_Blimey_!" he leaned toward his friend. "_And_, of course, you're going to share that information with us."

"Yeah," Sirius confirmed, "only '_us_' includes Lily and Kate, as well."

James' eyes widened in response. "And you agreed?"

"I know; totally unlike me, isn't it?" Sirius shrugged, smiling. "But, once I stopped fuming and listened to him, it made sense – particularly the part where he reminded me that if I _didn't_ tell her, she could be walking into trouble at home …"

"…and ill-prepared to deal with it," James supplied. "He's very smart, your Uncle Alphard. Knows how to get _your _attention at any rate. Shall I collect the girls?"

Sirius rose and stretched until his back popped. "Yeah, I think so – and Jamie?" James had risen and begun to pack up his supplies. Upon hearing his name, he looked up at his friend. "Have them go to the Room of Requirement. Less chance we'll be disturbed by well-intentioned Heads of House, yeah? I'll go and fetch Remus."

XXXXXXXX

"Hal; good of you to come," Albus stretched out his hand as the dark-haired wizard stepped out of the headmaster's enormous fireplace.

Hal Potter brushed the soot from his robes and clasped the older wizard's hand warmly. "Happy to do it, Albus. Alphard - good to see you again." James' father greeted the other wizard and soon found himself seated in a large armchair before the fire, the others similarly situated before him.

Albus turned to a large tea tray that had been placed on the table between them and poured out for his guests. As he did so, the older wizard glanced over at Hal. "I would imagine that you have news to share with us."

Hal withdrew a notebook from the pocked of his robes and nodded. "Indeed I have. Late this afternoon, various members of several prominent Pureblood families met in London – specifically in one of the large conference rooms at Gringott's Bank."

Alphard snorted. "Some things never change; the goblins will do _anything_ for a galleon. They've been letting out those rooms for a tidy sum for decades – and they don't care about the party or the purpose."

Albus nodded. "And their secrecy is _absolute_."

Hal smiled. "Which served my team very well, indeed. You see, we paid for the conference room on the opposite side of the hall and I put a team of my best Aurors inside to observe the proceedings." He paused to refer to his notes before continuing. "We were spot-on with our assumptions earlier; Orion Black, Eduard Bullstrode, Abraxas Malfoy, Victor Crabbe, Theodore Nott, Sr., Thomas O'Hanlon – all were in attendance."

Alphard exhaled sharply. "This is one time I would have preferred to have been wrong."

Hal looked over at Albus. "There was one other attendee, but he wasn't on our original list. My team got a bit of a look at him but none of them has seen him before. We're looking into it now."

"Do you have a description?" Albus asked, fixing a sharp gaze on the younger man.

"Nothing detailed, Albus. My Aurors recorded his physical description and there was nothing remarkable about it. No obvious scars, no accent." Hal continued to flip through his notes.

"Any obvious allegiances?"

Hal looked up at the headmaster. "No, as a matter of fact. Why do you ask?"

Albus sipped from his cup thoughtfully. "This isn't the most inclusive of groups, after all. Any unknown is, of course, of greater interest than those we've been observing for awhile. O'Hanlon proves that point nicely."

"You have a theory," Alphard shot a keen look toward Dumbledore.

"A theory? No; I do not have a theory," Albus replied. "I _do _have many questions to ponder, however."

"And I can safely assume that you will contact me if your _pondering_ bears any fruit?" Hal asked.

"Of course, of course. Now, were your Aurors able to hear anything useful?"

Hal nodded. "Yes, but we are still working on the details of our follow-up. Of course, you both realize that nothing we say here can be repeated to anyone." He waited until both of his companions had nodded. "The names Tedeaus & Persephone Rivers were overheard."

Albus put his cup and saucer on the table rather sharply. "Their names and nothing more?"

Hal shook his head. "The group was gathered in the hallway, apparently awaiting some latecomers. Three of the men were in conversation as they went into the conference room. We got the names but no more; silencing charms were put up when they entered the room."

"Who were the three men discussing the Rivers?" Albus asked softly.

Hal sighed.

"Antonin Dolohov, Abraxas Malfoy and Thomas O'Hanlon."

XXXXXXXX

The group of friends sat on the floor surrounding the low table before the fire. Despite the crackling warmth emanating from the ancient, blackened hearth, Kate shivered.

"_Incendio maxima_!" Sirius' softly worded incantation caused the flames to leap in the grate. His efforts earned him a strained smile.

"What will you do?" Lily asked from her place next to James.

Kate shot her best friend a look of barely concealed irritation. "I've just been told that my mother has married a man who appears to be in league with some fairly powerful Pureblood wizards – all of whom have more than a passing interest in power and Dark magic. Any suggestions?"

Lily colored slightly. "Kate, I…"

"No," the other witch interrupted with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Lily. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just can't wrap my head around it all. I have more questions than ideas at this point."

Sirius tightened his arm around Kate's shoulders. "So ask them. We're not going anywhere; maybe together we can figure out the answers."

Kate gave him a dark look. "I'm not sure most of them _have _answers." She shook her head and turned back toward the now blazing fire. "How in the bloody hell did my mother get herself into this situation? Get _us _into this situation? She and Melanie Hanscombe have been friends for years. There's never been _any_ sign of _anything_ Dark…" her voice trailed off.

"But she may not be involved in any of it, after all," Remus reasoned. "You said yourself that she had no love for the Blacks and that – sorry, Padfoot – they typify the term 'Dark'."

"She is quite fond of Sirius, though," James observed.

"Meaning?" Sirius glared at his friend.

James shrugged, "Dunno exactly. I guess it could mean anything." He shifted his gaze to Kate. "She wasn't _always _his supporter, was she?"

Kate shook her head as she looked quizzically at her friend. "Speak plainly, James; I'm afraid I'm not understanding you."

James' voice was quiet. "She was adamant last year that you not see him, isn't that right?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, but…"

"And yet _this _summer, she reverses herself, allows him into her home and provides him shelter even after she has left on a trip with friends," James interrupted. He had been casting glances at Sirius throughout and felt it likely that he would be interrupted at any moment. "_Friends_ that included Thomas O'Hanlon, whom she ultimately married."

Kate paled. "You can't mean…you don't actually _think_…."

"I'm not saying anything more than what's possible, Kate," James said, reasonably. "Isn't that what we're doing here? Trying to sort it all out?"

"Jamie," Sirius' voice carried more than a hint of warning, despite its quiet pitch.

"What?" James turned to face his friend, arms flung wide from his body. "_What_? I'm not saying any of this to intentionally upset _anyone_, least of all Kate. But we can ill afford to leave any possibility unexplored, can we? You know damn well what's been happening out there! Dad always says …"

"We're _not_ Aurors, James! If there …" Sirius interrupted, fists clenched in his lap.

"Enough," Kate's quiet voice silenced him. "_Enough_. No, we're not Aurors; you're right on that point. But James isn't deliberately being cruel, either." She paused and drew a deep breath. "As difficult as this is, we _can't _turn our backs on it."

Sirius looked at Kate with some degree of surprise but she continued without acknowledging him. "That's _not _to say that I agree with your not-so-subtle insinuation that my mother is somehow involved in this. She isn't stupid – and you seem to be forgetting a somewhat critical point. If my mother _was_ involved in helping O'Hanlon get to Sirius, she would knowingly be putting _me _in danger, as well – and _that _is something that my mother would _never_ do!"

But James wasn't entirely persuaded, although he reclaimed his seat beside Lily and his voice lost some of its volume. "I thought of that, Kate. I think the key word in what you've said is '_knowingly_'."

"You're thinking of the _Imperius_ curse," Remus observed thoughtfully.

"That would make more sense than the idea that Kate's mother was acting intentionally," Lily chimed in.

"She could have just been duped, you know," Sirius said, glancing over at Kate. "She could just as easily have been taken in by O'Hanlon's attentions. She might not know what he's about at all."

"She's not some insipid, swooning female," Kate protested, but in her mind she knew that statement to be at least partly untrue. Felicity was, indeed, given to melodramatics on occasion. And until her husband's death, she _had _been taken care of without the need to make major decisions or to fend for herself. _Mother, could you have wanted someone to depend on badly enough to overlook a character flaw _this _significant? _

As if she had read her thoughts Lily said, gently. "But maybe she was just lonely enough to believe him; lonely enough to _want _to believe."

"Katie-girl," Sirius turned toward the now-silent Kate. "For what it's worth, I don't think your mother would put you in danger if there was anything she could do to avoid it. I agree with the others that she would have to be cursed, be unaware of O'Hanlon's true intentions _or_… there is one other thing we haven't considered yet."

"And that _is_?" James questioned.

"O'Hanlon has something to hold over her head and is forcing her into complicity somehow."

"So, you're suggesting that he charmed her into marriage and then, once successful, began to blackmail her into going along with a scheme to get to Sirius?" Remus shook his head. "It seems thin, Pads."

"I know," Sirius replied. "But not impossible."

"I can't imagine that he'd know anything so potentially damaging that my mother would agree to betray you," Kate said, but her voice carried some degree of uncertainty. "Or _me_."

Sirius looked at her sharply. "Can't you? Katie, remember the story you told me about your father and all the intrigue and unanswered questions surrounding his death. Maybe O'Hanlon has some of the answers."

"Maybe," Kate conceded. "But even if he does, why hasn't he come forward long before now?"

"Perhaps there was no benefit to him to do so until now," Remus answered, then turned to Sirius. "The more I think about this, the less certain I am that Kate's mother is involved in any of it. I think it's more likely that she is completely unaware of any ulterior motives her new husband may have."

"Well, _that _theory puts us right back to where we started," James said, miserably.

"Not necessarily," Remus replied. "_Think_. The biggest mystery surrounding Kate's father's death involved Sirius' uncle. The general consensus seems to be that he wasn't powerful enough – or was too near to death himself – to kill anyone. Sirius, you've said that your uncle wasn't known as a particularly gifted wizard, which seems to underscore the alternative theory that there was another person on the scene that night."

"Are you suggesting that Thomas O'Hanlon killed my father?" Kate's face was pale.

Remus took a deep breath. "I suppose it's possible; yes. Kate, do you know if your father might have known O'Hanlon prior to his death? Perhaps through his sister and her husband…"

Kate interrupted him, shaking her head. "No. My mother and Melanie have been friends since they were girls, but Gregory Hanscombe has always spent a great deal of time traveling for his businesses. They had nannies for their children which allowed Melanie to travel with him most of the time. Then, the children went to Hogwarts which I assume made her travel less cumbersome. I'm certain that Father met the two of them, but he wouldn't have known O'Hanlon. We left for America, as well, so…" she shrugged.

Remus nodded. "I suspected that the chances were slim. So, it would seem to me that if Thomas O'Hanlon were responsible for your father's death, he would have been acting on the behalf of someone else rather than for his own purposes. Assuming that, it would follow that O'Hanlon would have been a significant liability to the person for whom the murder was committed. As such, I can't believe that he wouldn't have met a similar end."

"He certainly wouldn't be as visible as he's been of late," James commented. He looked curiously at Remus. "So, Moony, what's your theory?"

"Not sure, exactly," Remus admitted. "But it does seem to leave us with one alternative to explore – or to discuss with your father so that _he _can explore it." The young wizard paused, gathering his thoughts for a few moments before continuing. "Suppose O'Hanlon happened upon that alley in Boston, saw the confrontation between your uncle and Kate's father – and was witness to its outcome. Suppose he knows who _really_ cast that Killing Curse?"

"Wouldn't that make him just as much a liability as if he'd cast it himself?" Sirius asked.

"Only if the true killer _knows _that O'Hanlon observed him," Remus replied.

"I'm confused," Kate said. "Even if what you suggest is true, why would O'Hanlon pop up _now_? Why would he marry my mother and make veiled threats against Sirius via his uncle? It doesn't make sense."

"Actually, Kate, it might," James said. "Well, part of it, anyway. It goes back to what Remus said earlier; perhaps there wasn't a reason for O'Hanlon to act until now. Suppose whoever killed your dad went to ground that night. If O'Hanlon couldn't find him there would be little reason to expose himself. He could simply live his life as he'd been doing until the killer revealed himself."

"But where does my mother come in?" Kate looked at her friends. "Unless my _mother _killed my father – and I can assure you that she did _not_ as she was home with me that night – what possible purpose could marrying her serve?"

"A certain degree of acceptance," Sirius spoke up. "Marrying your mum gives him a certain respectability and allows him to conduct his business affairs without the suspicion that might follow a stranger. If he's married to someone from an established family, it would allow him to move about more easily, I suspect." Kate raised an eyebrow and drew breath, but Sirius smiled grimly and cut her off. "Yes, I know; I _just _finished telling you aboutO'Hanlon's visit to Uncle Alphard's house with my picture in hand…a picture my _father_ had put there. So, I know that you're wondering how marriage to your mother could have gained him any firmer a foothold than his acquaintance with Orion Black already afforded him. The Needhams are an ancient family on a par with mine. Apart from what we already know about your grandfather's questionable affiliations, their reputation is strong. The Blacks do have a little bit of dirt connected to our ancient name; the Needhams' unsullied name gains him even more access."

"To society _and_ to more covert activities once that connection had been made," Kate finished. "I think it's becoming clearer for me now – _if_, in fact, this theory is accurate. And that begs the question of how it _can _be validated." She turned to James. "Would your father be willing to listen to the hypothesis of five 6th years?"

James smiled in return. "I'm sure he would. We could send him an owl…"

"…or have a chat with Professor Dumbledore first," Lily put in.

"And see if Uncle Alphard would like to join us," Sirius finished. "Instead of dissecting this thing with different people, maybe it's time to get everyone in the same room, put all of the facts on the table and see what they make of it."

"Tomorrow," Remus said, glancing at his watch. "It's after 11. No one is in any frame of mind to attack this topic tonight. Let's catch up with Dumbledore after breakfast and he can gather the others, yes?"

While anxious to explore the matter further with the adults who could obviously shed more light on the situation and assist in the development of more sound theories, the group was exhausted and readily agreed to postpone. As they gathered their things and headed for the door, Kate naturally fell into step with Sirius.

"I'm not sure what difference _any _of this is going to make," she confided. "We can debate all the theories in the world, but if there's nothing to be done with them, we might just as well have saved our breath."

Sirius held the door for her to pass through then caught her hand as she started to turn away from him toward the open corridor. Kate turned back and found herself caught up in a pair of very strong arms. "Now, you listen to _me_, Ms. Morgan," Sirius said softly. "This group – adults included – is a formidable force to be reckoned with. Dumbledore, Uncle Alphard and Jamie's dad have more experience and brain power than we can even imagine! Uncle Alphard and Dumbledore fought Grindelwald, for the love of Merlin – and Mr. Potter is the head of the MLE! This is _much _more than a debate; _this _is where the battle begins! They won't let the Dark take us over again if there's anything that can be done to prevent it. The more they know, the better off we'll be – all of us! And we'll be _doing _something that much quicker! Katie – this is going to make a very real difference; not just for _us_, but maybe for the rest of our world, as well."

Kate smiled at his determination and reached up to brush a stray wave away from his eyes. "Don't you think you might be getting a wee bit ahead of yourself, though? I mean, we're just looking at what we know and trying to put the puzzle pieces all together. There's no battle lurking, waiting to be fought."

Sirius leant down and kissed her forehead. "We don't have to worry about any of that tonight. Come on; let's get some sleep, yeah? I have a feeling that tomorrow's going to be a long day." _Oh, Katie-girl; if you only knew how wrong you are. Maybe the soldiers aren't completely organized but their numbers are growing and the battle lines are being drawn as we speak. We'll all be choosing sides before too long._ Unbidden, memories of the past year with Regulus crossed Sirius' mind; the younger boy sneaking toast into his basement cell, contacting his father on Sirius' behalf after that last, most cruel torture at the hands of Walburga. _I wonder which you'll choose, Reg_, he thought sadly, wondering for what must have been the hundredth time if Orion and Walburga Black had managed to finally turn their remaining son into the heir they had hoped Sirius would be.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, a group of students, teachers and the head of the MLE gathered in the Headmaster's office. There, seated around a conjured table situated before a roaring fire, facts were laid out, examined at length and discussed by all. It was apparent that Alphard had spoken with Dumbledore prior to the larger meeting as there were no longer any attempts to hide facts from any of the students. A tacit agreement now seemed to exist amongst the older adults that "forewarned was forearmed", as the Muggles said – and the students were to be kept advised of everything that was currently known. Their headmaster made one caveat at the outset by telling them all that he reserved the right to reverse that decision if, in his considered opinion, the students' safety would be compromised through full disclosure. Observing Alphard's raised eyebrow at this statement, Dumbledore qualified it by saying that any such decision would be made only after consultation with both Sirius' uncle and James' father. Hal further emphasized that anything that might fall under the aegis of current investigations in the MLE would be similarly off-topic. Both qualifications were readily accepted by everyone present and so the discussion moved forward.

The hours crept by unnoticed; indeed, when house elves delivered a platter of sandwiches, cookies, bowls of crisps and pitchers of pumpkin juice, the group did not even hear them, so engrossed were they in their task. Only the aroma of smoked ham finally roused them and once a healthy dent had been made in the food, all returned to the table and the lengthy parchment that awaited them there. Blotches of ink littered the pale page and dark lines cancelled out points or theories that were debated and ultimately discarded.

By mid-afternoon, Hal Potter's spiral notebook contained numerous pages of new notes and he had several avenues that required further exploration. The general consensus amongst the adults was that it was highly likely that Felicity was completely unaware of her husband's activities which gave Kate some degree of comfort, albeit a small one. The thought that her mother could be an unwitting accomplice to something Dark bothered the young witch very much.

"You look troubled, my dear," Kate was brought out of her thoughts by the soft voice of her Headmaster.

"I'm concerned about my mother, Sir. She may be in danger and completely unprepared to deal with it."

Dumbledore leaned over and patted her hand. "There is much that we don't know, Kate, but this much I'm certain of: she is important to him. As such, I believe that she is not in any danger."

"For now," Kate countered, squaring her shoulders. "But even you cannot guess if and when that might change."

"No," Dumbledore agreed. "But if there is some nefarious purpose for his marriage, I believe that the brain power we have in this very room will figure it out before it does."

His voice was so certain and his expression so earnest that Kate felt some of the tension in her chest lighten. She smiled. "I'm sure you will."

"_We_ will," Sirius piped up. He was very much invested in the partnership that had begun in this room and was determined to remain a part of this undertaking.

"What is our next step?"

Alphard chuckled. "Well, I suspect that James' father has quite a bit of follow-up work to do if all that writing he's done is any indication."

Hal nodded. "I need to get back to the office and pull the team together. Albus, you said earlier that you had a theory about the Gringott's meeting. I'd like to speak with you for a moment to clarify a few things." He glanced over at his son who looked back at him unblinkingly.

Hal smiled and shook his head before returning his gaze to the headmaster. "And that would be in private, if you don't mind."

When James appeared ready to protest, Albus spoke up. "Now, you young people have been hard at this since last night and by your own account. As this is your last week of freedom before the new term begins, I think it would do you all some good to leave this for awhile; get outside and enjoy the warm weather while it lingers." The elder wizard's tone was genial enough; his eyes communicated clearly that he would brook no challenge. The students recognized the signs and gave in.

"Come along, mates," James said. "I suppose that a walk down by the lake won't do us any harm." The others reluctantly stood and made their goodbyes to James' father.

"Now, now; there's no need for the long faces," Hal said, smiling at the group. "You all have been most helpful today – and I'm sure you will continue to be so in the future, as well."

"I know that I needn't remind you that what we've discussed here today cannot be repeated outside this office," Dumbledore added.

The five students nodded. They moved toward the office door, but Remus turned back to the Headmaster for a moment. "Sir?"

"Yes, Remus?"

"I was just wondering; Peter is due back on Wednesday. As we share a dormitory, it would be difficult to keep this from him and, of course, he may be able to be of some assistance, as well."

Sirius snorted, but Dumbledore spoke up before the younger wizard could say anything. "Excellent points, Remus. We certainly would not turn away any credible assistance that might come our way. You may take Mr. Pettigrew into your confidence – but _only _Mr. Pettigrew, you understand."

"Of course, Professor. Thank you."

After the door had closed once again, Alphard turned to his old friend. "My nephew doesn't seem to think much of their absent friend."

Dumbledore smiled. "Mr. Pettigrew does not share the same intellectual capacity as possessed by Sirius and his friends. It makes for some impatient moments."

"Is he intelligent enough to hold his tongue?"

"I believe that he does, Alphard. You see, Mr. Pettigrew has become quite reliant on his friendships; he won't do anything that will jeopardize them. If James, in particular, impresses upon him the need for silence, Peter Pettigrew will remain silent. Of that I can assure you." Dumbledore patted Alphard on the shoulder.

"Right." Alphard reached out and shook Hal's hand. "I suspect we'll be seeing more of you, Hal."

"I suspect so," the younger man replied. "It seems that you were both right about that crowd; they'll do some of our work for us if today is any indication."

Once Alphard had left, Hal turned to Albus. "I would just ask that you perhaps take your earliest opportunity to _ponder_ those questions about the unknown meeting participant."

Dumbledore nodded. "Of course. I'll owl you if my ruminations turn up anything…interesting."

As Hal walked to the hearth with the older wizard, he shook his head slightly. "I have this nagging feeling that you may have already 'turned up' something."

Dumbledore smiled grimly. "Perhaps. Safe travels, Hal. I'll be in touch."

Hal Potter reached for the pot of Floo powder on the mantel and stepped into the huge fireplace. He dropped a pinch of powder to the floor and called out his destination. The last thing he saw before the green flames pulled him away was Albus Dumbledore lowering his face into the huge stone Pensieve in the center of his office.

**A/N: My thanks to all of you who have been so patient with me during the long delay in updating this story. I promise that I will not take as long to post the next chapter! **


	65. Friends Return Enemies Emerge

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Some language; mild sexual references

Chapter 65 – Friends Return - Enemies Emerge

Wednesday arrived and with it, Peter. The other Marauders, Lily and Kate had hung around the castle for the morning but when Peter did not show, decided to take advantage of the warm weather and wait outside. Sirius and Remus charmed the house elves into creating a veritable feast and the crew headed down to the Black Lake to enjoy a late summer picnic.

An hour after the hamper had been opened and the bounty laid out on a brightly colored cloth, Sirius pushed his finally-empty plate away and backed up to rest against the broad trunk of 'their' tree. "I couldn't eat another bite," he said, contentedly.

Kate shook her head. "Imagine that," she said, pulling a face at Lily, who smiled as she rose to help her friend clear the cloth and repack the now empty containers into the hamper.

"We have _wands_ for that sort of thing, you know," James observed from his reclined position on the grass.

"Yes, but a little physical activity helps to burn off some of those lunch calories," Lily replied, dropping Kate a wink as she turned toward her boyfriend. "But, if you _insist_, I can use my wand to motivate _you _to help…."

James struggled to his feet, much to the amusement of Remus who obligingly took the hamper from Kate and placed it in the shadow of a large, flat rock.

"Oi, Moony," Sirius called, watching his friend. "Now that you've finished ingratiating yourself with these females here; what's that you've got?" The young wizard gestured toward the knapsack in Remus' hand. "Wouldn't be squirreling away any of Honeyduke's lovely chocolate in that sack, would you, mate?"

"_That_ from the wizard who couldn't choke down another bite of food," Lily commented, wryly.

"_This_," Remus held the bag up, "hides no chocolate, Padfoot." The young werewolf dropped down onto the grass next to his friend and quickly slid the zipper open. "It _does_, however, hold something that should add to our fun this afternoon." And with a flourish, Remus withdrew a camera.

James let out a low, appreciative whistle. "Brilliant, mate!" He held out a hand to take the item from his friend for closer inspection. After a few minutes spent turning the camera over and back, from one side to the other, he looked at Remus a bit sheepishly. "What is it?"

Remus blinked. "'_What is it?'_"

"Well," James began, "it sort of looks like a camera, but I've never seen a wizard camera with _this _many buttons and … dials and the like."

Remus laughed and reached for the instrument. "It _is_ a camera, James; a Muggle camera, as a matter of fact!"

"A _Muggle_ camera? _Bah_, what good are _they_? I've seen the pictures that come from those things; Moony – they don't even move!" Sirius edged forward to get a better look.

"These will," Remus said, in a voice as close to smug as anyone could ever remember hearing from him. "Dad and I worked on it this summer. We charmed it so it would do everything a wizard camera does; it _is _brilliant!" He used his sleeve to rub a tiny spot from one side.

"But why go to all that bother when you could just go out and buy a regular wizard camera in the _first place_?" James, ever impatient with people who took the long road toward anything worthwhile, failed to understand. Sirius, however, caught the faint flush creeping up his friend's neck and got it immediately. Wizard cameras weren't cheap by a long shot; there was no way that Remus would have been able to afford one – nor would his parents.

"Pipe down, Jamie! There's no sport in buying something every other wizard in our world already has, is there? Remus' camera's an original, isn't it? Works in both worlds – and better than anything else out there, I'll wager! Good on you, Moony. Now, just to show you what a great friend I am, I'm going to let you take my picture with it – sort of start its Hogwarts' life off on the right foot, eh?" Sirius patted Remus on the shoulder and stood, striking a comical pose that immediately caught everyone's attention – and deflected it away from Remus, who smiled gratefully at his friend.

"I'm not going to take a picture if you're going to prance about like _that_," he said, earning another wave of laughter from the group.

Having been quietly clued into his faux pas by Lily, James jumped up from his place and joined his friend in mugging for the camera, ears slightly redder than usual in his embarrassment. Soon, however, the antics of the two young wizards were so amusing that even Lily found it difficult to be stern with them. Indeed, finding herself quite caught up in their enthusiasm, the Muggle-born witch taught her friends the game known as "chicken". Both Lily and Kate soon found themselves perched on the shoulders of James and Sirius, respectively. Shouting with laughter, the two couples "charged" each other, Kate and Lily with wands at the ready to ensure that any tumble either might take would be magically cushioned. Remus, laughing as loudly as the rest of them, moved in and around the sparring friends, snapping photos merrily.

So engrossed in the game were they that none noticed the presence of their long-absent friend.

That changed when Remus stepped back to line up a shot of the jousting quartet and bumped into a very solid obstacle.

"Peter!" Remus clapped his friend on the back. "Good to have you back!"

The other wizard smiled. "Good to _be_ back," he said, and then looked toward the others, his expression reflecting his confusion.

Remus followed his gaze. "We've worked it out, Peter. Things are all right again."

Peter's eyes widened. "How…"

Remus smiled. "It's rather a long story, but we'll fill you in later, if you'd like. I guess we all learned that some friendships are too important to lose."

"But, Sirius – he…," Peter protested.

Remus draped his arm over Peter's shoulders. "He made a mistake, Peter." Remus' voice was kind, but firm. "He made a mistake – and he's paid for it. In full."

"Wormtail!" Sirius' voice rang out as he stood a few feet away from the pair. "We waited in the castle for you this morning, but then the sunshine called to us and we fled…to await you here. Well, we fled to eat vast quantities of picnic food, but waiting for you was still on the agenda! We even saved you some of our bounty; are you hungry?"

Peter's stance was tentative and he watched Sirius' face carefully as he spoke. Relieved that the other wizard didn't appear to have heard any of his conversation with Remus, Peter smiled. "I suppose I could eat," he said, stepping forward to clasp Sirius' extended hand.

"I'm feeling a bit peckish myself, Pete," Sirius replied, looping an arm around the shorter wizard's neck and leading him in the direction of the flat rock – and the picnic hamper. "All that exercise must have burned a _lot _of those calories! Coming, Moony?"

Remus smiled after them, and then turned to extend his arm toward Kate. To his surprise, her glance was also trained on the two retreating wizards, but her expression was thoughtful. "Kate?"

"Do you think he'll hold a grudge against Sirius?" Kate's voice was quiet, but a bit on the defensive side.

Remus shrugged. "Doubtful. You know Peter, Kate. Being liked and accepted is important to him. He's not apt to do anything to jeopardize it. To be truthful with you, I think that his anger toward Sirius was in large part due to Padfoot's carelessness with our friendship. His actions disrupted Peter's secure world - and his identity as a Marauder. That identity is extremely important to Peter; he _must _belong to the group. If the group was dissolved because of Sirius' actions, Peter would suffer. Peter isn't made for suffering – and I'm not being unkind."

"I know you're not, Remus," Kate replied. "But he looked almost irritated that everyone was getting on so well. That seems to fly in the face of your theory about acceptance."

Remus smiled. "Perhaps so, but you also have to realize that Peter is a bit sensitive about consequences – and our friend Sirius' ability to charm his way out of most of his. You have to admit, Kate, that Sirius' detention ratio is fairly low given the number of times he's been threatened with it – particularly if the professor is female. Peter, on the other hand, has _never _successfully charmed his way out of a detention."

"Sirius certainly didn't avoid the consequences of his actions that night with you, did he?"

Remus' face turned sad for a moment. "No, that he didn't. But, he served his 'detention' for those actions, didn't he? And came out very much changed as a result."

"Oi, Moony; she's _taken_! Stop trying to move in on my witch! Yours will be back on Sunday!" Sirius called over to the pair, grinning widely, eyebrows waggling up and down in his good humor.

Kate smothered a laugh and Remus took her elbow. "That's right, Katie – let's not encourage him. We'll only suffer for it!" With that, the two friends made their way over to where the rest of their group was gathered, picking through the hamper once more.

XXXXXXXX

Much later, as the sun had begun its slow descent from the sky, a weary group of students made its way up the steep hill to the castle. Remus and Peter led the way, carrying the hamper between them while the two couples followed closely behind. There was no conversation; the events leading to the friends' reconciliation had been relayed to Peter over the shared remnants of their picnic feast. Peter took it all in, pausing more than once with sandwich in hand, to listen wide-eyed to the more salient portions of the story. They made it through most of the Paris trip, but seemingly by tacit agreement, did not include anything relative to Thomas O'Hanlon. Given the amount of time spent among them on the topic – not to mention the follow-up meeting with Dumbledore, Alphard and Hal – the students somehow knew that it was a conversation to be had when all were fresher of mind. Peter didn't seem to mind that the story obviously wasn't complete; he had fallen silent more quickly than the others – who assumed that he was processing all that he had heard.

The group reached the entrance hall and could hear the laughter of their professors filtering from the Great Hall. Apparently, a late supper was under way. The group decided that the house elves had provided – and they had consumed – more than enough food to carry them through to breakfast the following morning. James had managed to secret a dozen or so bottles of butter beer in his trunk and so the group agreed to gather in their common room to enjoy the concoction and to welcome Peter "home" as it were.

Remus broke off from the others to return the hamper to the kitchens; the boys and girls retired to their respective dormitories to freshen up before coming together once again before the cozy common room fire.

"I swear, Jamie, I don't know how it happens," Sirius complained, coming into the dormitory room from the shower, towel slung around his hips. "It was hot as anything down by the lake this afternoon but it feels like November inside this school!" Dropping the towel unselfconsciously, he pulled on underwear, a pair of jeans and a light jumper before using a drying spell on his hair.

James chuckled as he sat on his trunk to pull on socks. "I think it's called 'magic', Pads," he said wryly, then ducked to avoid being hit with the trainer that Sirius launched at his head.

Peter snorted. "Magic doesn't have anything to do with it, James. The castle's made of stone and stands in the shadows of several pretty big mountains. The stone retains the cold – and the damp from the lake. And, it's so big that there are drafts all over the place!"

Sirius turned to look at James then the two of them faced Peter. "Blimey, Wormtail – what did _you _do all summer? Study Muggle science?" James teased, rising to retrieve Sirius' trainer and tossing it back to him.

Peter's expression turned defensive. "_No_! I went to Wales with my mum; you know that!"

"Are you _sure_ you didn't go to summer school?" Sirius took up the joke. "I mean, for a minute there, I thought I was sitting in Binns' classroom! If you were a bit thinner and just a tiny bit paler, you'd have pulled it off for sure!"

Peter scowled in response. "I didn't study _Muggle _anything on holiday! I was stuck. In Wales. With my mother. I didn't get to _go _anywhere or _do _anything."

James and Sirius looked at him in amazement, but were spared the need to reply as Remus walked into the dormitory and caught the end of Peter's statement.

"But at least you went to London one day," he said, looking 'round at his three friends. Peter's head snapped toward Remus at his comment.

"I don't know where you got _that _idea," he said, sticking out his chin and folding his arms across his chest.

"Someone saw you," James said, sitting on his trunk once again.

"Yeah," Sirius chimed in. "Michael Delacour."

"Sending people to spy on me, were you?" Peter's attitude grew more defiant, although his face had paled.

Remus moved to sit next to their now angry friend. "Peter, why on earth would we want to spy on you? And, even in the unlikely event that we _did_, we certainly wouldn't have chosen London, now would we? After all, your owl clearly said that your mother wanted you to remain in Wales, with her, until term started."

"Then what was Michael Delacour doing skulking around London?" Peter wasn't letting it go easily.

"Listen, Peter," Sirius stood and walked toward the other wizard's bed. "Michael wasn't _skulking_ at all. He had a meeting with one of his professors and he stopped into the Leaky beforehand. He was going to speak with you, but said that you were with someone and he didn't want to interrupt you." Sirius glanced over at James, who nodded slightly. "He said it was some older bloke; thought it might have been a relative."

"Or perhaps a friend of your mum's," Remus added, noting the way Peter's back had stiffened at James' words.

The other boy appeared to relax slightly. "My mother is a bit _concerned_ about what I'll do after graduation. She doesn't want me to go into the Auror's program; goes all over in tears and hysterics every time I mention the word. She called some bloke who used to know my dad and asked him to have a chat with me about _other_ jobs."

James peered sharply at Peter but remained silent. Sirius, however, decided to indulge his curiosity. "Other jobs at the Ministry?"

Peter nodded as he idly worked a small hangnail on his thumb. "Yeah; he works there so…"

"Did he work with your dad?" Remus asked.

"I guess they worked together on some project or another," Peter said, his attention focused on his hands.

Remus looked over at James and shrugged before he tried once again. "Your dad worked as a Researcher, didn't he? I always thought that would be an interesting field."

Peter looked up at Remus with a sad smile. "Anytime I asked Dad about his work, he would tell me that his department did the grunt work to make the Ministry officials look smarter than they really were." As if remembering James' own father, Peter glanced hurriedly over at his friend and added, "I'm sure he wasn't talking about your father, James."

James laughed. "Oh, I'm pretty sure Research _specifically _talks about the Aurors, Pete! Dad told me a story once about how he got into a crowded lift and rode five floors listening to two blokes at the back of the car talking about 'the glory boys' in the MLE. He said he just managed to let the door close behind him at his stop before he burst out laughing."

The other boys chuckled, much to Peter's obvious relief.

"So, do you think that's what you're going to do, Pete?" Sirius asked when the laughter had died down.

Peter's expression lost some of its good humor, although he didn't become quite as antagonistic as he had been earlier. "Probably," he conceded, turning his attention to his thumb once again. "It's nice and safe, which will appeal to my _mother_."

"With your dad gone, you're all she's got left, Pete," Remus reminded his friend. "It must be hard for her to think of losing you as well."

Peter shook his head. "She treated my dad the same way. She never thinks about what might make _us _happy; she just thinks that if _she's _happy, then we're all happy enough. If she only knew what Dad…." He stopped. "Never mind; it doesn't matter."

James walked over and sat on Peter's other side. "No, it probably doesn't; listen – we've all got two years more before we have to think about what comes next, right? A lot can happen; who's to say that you won't change your mind?"

"Change your mind about what?" Four heads whipped around to see Lily and Kate standing in the doorway. The two young witches entered and Lily came to a stop in front of Peter's bed, hands on hips.

"Nothing," Remus said. "We were just…"

"Peter!" Kate's voice reflected her dismay. She knelt down and took Peter's hand in her own, pulling her wand from her jeans' pocket. Gently cradling his thumb, she murmured a healing spell and touched the tip of her wand to the large, raw patch that had begun to bleed. New skin appeared and knit neatly with the jagged edges of the wound. Kate shook her head. "You shouldn't pick at hang nails; you could get a nasty infection." She looked up into Peter's face and was momentarily stunned at the irritation reflected there. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to lecture." She withdrew her hand and made to rise, but Peter put his now healed hand on her arm before she could do so.

"No, Kate; _I'm_ sorry. It's a nervous habit of mine; one my mother has tried to break me of for years." He ruefully held up his thumb. "She hasn't been completely successful - obviously. Thank you."

"I'm glad to help," Kate replied, standing.

Lily snorted from behind her. "The three of you were all disappointed that Peter wasn't with us over the holiday and now that he's back, I swear that you're making him a nervous wreck! Peter, I don't know why you bother with any of them! If I were you, some days I think I'd just throw them _all_ over and find some new friends who treated me better!"

Peter's smile grew wider at Lily's words, although his face turned a very bright shade of pink at being the recipient of her protection. "Well, I suppose I _could_ do," he replied. "But seeing as how they _missed _me and all…" The rest of whatever he might have intended to say was interrupted by a blow from a feather pillow – wielded by a laughing James.

"Don't say any more, Lily," James said, tossing the pillow back into place at the head of Peter's bed. "He'll be reminding us of this all year long – _and _at the most inappropriate of times!"

"Come on," Sirius put his arm around Kate's waist. "Let's get downstairs so we can relieve Jamie of all that lovely butter beer he's got stashed."

Remus found himself walking next to Peter as the group exited the dormitory. "Care to give me another chance to beat you at Wizard chess?"

Peter grinned up at the taller wizard. "Aren't you tired of losing, yet?"

Remus looped his arm around Peter's shoulders and guided him down the staircase. "Hope springs eternal, Peter!"

Later that evening, butter beer consumed and Remus good-naturedly accepting defeat at Peter's hands, talk once again turned to the events experienced over the summer holiday.

Peter raised the topic from his spot in one corner of the overstuffed couch. "So, what else did I miss over the holiday?"

The other students looked 'round at each other – a gesture not lost on their friend. "What's wrong?" Peter's voice betrayed both anxiety and irritation.

Kate spoke first. "There's nothing wrong, Peter. We just thought that we'd wait until tomorrow to tell you the rest. You've only just gotten back and we've told you quite a bit already. To tell the truth, it's all a bit exhausting and we thought it might do us _all _some good to tackle it when we were fresh."

"What do you mean, '_tackle_'?" Peter persisted.

"Look, Peter," Sirius began, "things have gotten a little…_complicated_. There's been some recent activity that suggests some of the pure blooded families are becoming a little more _organized _in their approach to the old beliefs. There have been meetings and some rather strange disappearances."

"You mean the Rivers family," Peter said.

"Yes," Sirius replied.

"How are _we_ involved in any of that?"

No one said anything for a moment or two then James spoke up. "I'm not sure that we _are_, Peter. We've just sort of been discussing it – trying to put it all together. It's not like we've become adjunct Aurors; I don't think they do that with _students_!"

"And with Uncle Alphard teaching DADA this term, it gives us someone to talk to about all of this," Sirius continued.

"Your uncle is the new DADA professor?" Peter's eyes were wide. "What happened to Quirrell?"

"Troll got him," Sirius shrugged. "He'll live, but he's not going to be able to teach this term. Dumbledore asked Uncle Alphard to fill in and he agreed – lucky for us!"

"We're just talking, Peter. You don't have to worry that your mother will be upset with you," Lily said, kindly. "You're in no danger."

Peter looked over at the young witch, seated at James' feet. After a moment, he nodded and smiled tentatively. "Thanks, Lily."

Sirius stood and stretched until his back popped. "Blimey, I'm tired." He extended his hand down to help Kate to her feet. "What about you, Katie-girl?"

"Exhausted," she agreed, smiling softly at him.

Sirius held out his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Shortly after they exited through the portrait hole, James and Lily made their excuses and crossed the room toward the girls' dormitory staircase.

Peter took it all in then turned to Remus. "Not sure my mother would think much of _that_, either; not that I'd have much of a chance to test her patience on that score."

Remus chuckled quietly.

"Does Dumbledore know?" Peter asked after a time.

Remus shrugged. "I'm not certain; and I don't know that he'd necessarily say anything even if he did." The young man sighed. "The events of the past few months made us all grow up a little quicker than we might have ordinarily done. And besides, we're the only students here; what's the harm, really?"

Peter shook his head. "Isn't it going to be difficult for them to go back to the way things were once the other students arrive?"

"I think they'll manage; couples always have, after all," Remus smiled.

"But you wouldn't take advantage of this situation, would you?" Peter asked. "I mean, if Dorcas was here and all. Or is that - I don't know – maybe that's too personal a question to ask….." his voice trailed off.

Remus' face sobered. "It's different for me. I'll never have what they do; it's just not possible for … well, for people like me."

Peter was silent for a moment. "Do you really believe that?"

"The wolf would always be a danger to anyone I became involved with, Peter. I couldn't bear it if anything … if I caused harm to someone I cared about," Remus' expression and voice betrayed his sadness.

"Remus, could I ask you a question?" Peter's voice was hesitant, but he looked Remus directly in the eye.

"Of course, Peter; ask away."

"Why would you – I mean, how _could_ you forgive Sirius? I know what you said before about friendship, but what he did put you in terrible danger. What he did almost caused Snape to _die_!" Peter's words tumbled over one another as he struggled to get the question out.

Remus leaned forward in his chair and met Peter's gaze. "When it first happened – and for some time after – I was terribly angry with Sirius for what he had done. I saw it as the greatest betrayal he could ever commit. I was so angry that I couldn't bring myself to speak to him, to accept his apology. You know – you were there." At the other boy's nod, Remus continued, "When I was at home over the holiday, the moons were – well, they were more difficult than they've been for some time. The wolf, I imagine, was feeding off that anger. I had quite a bit of time to mull things over and I did make the connection between the ease of the moons here at school and you lot acting as my 'pack', as it were. I know that Sirius was the ringleader of the Animagus effort – although you and James were certainly most willing to participate. Having you all here with me made the moons more bearable, as you know. The wolf wasn't alone and so it was less self-destructive; it had mates – of a sort – to run with. You all took a terrible risk – continue to take that risk – to help me. Doing so reminded me that only true friends would be so loyal."

Peter nodded. "But…"

Remus smiled. "Ah, yes – _but _Sirius betrayed that loyalty; yes, I know. And when I came back to Hogwarts to find him waiting for me, I was _not _ready to let go my anger or my grudge. I was wrong to hang onto it, Peter; I was very wrong. I suppose that I can blame my condition for part of it; there's a certain resentment that goes along with never being able to make friends and then being betrayed by someone I'm lucky enough to finally be able to _call _a friend. In the end, though, Peter, I guess it was that I finally came to the realization that Sirius never intended to betray me at all. Nothing he did was out of maliciousness; he simply acted with emotion and not with logic. He _reacted_ and, by default, so did I." The young werewolf paused and looked at Peter for a moment. "You were far more insightful about Sirius – and our treatment of him – than I. Do you remember that morning at breakfast when we spoke about shutting him out?"

Peter thought for a bit before nodding. "I do. Not one of us made it easy for Sirius to explain himself, did we? And he reacted the way any of us might have done – he retreated."

"Yes, his behavior was what any of _us _might have done, as you say. It was _not _however, typical of Sirius. I think that was the first thing that got my attention," Remus confirmed. "Anyway, it's over now. Sirius and I have mended our fences, as they say."

"Is it the same as before?"

Remus looked off into the distance, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he answered. "The same? No; I would have to say that it's not. Have you ever heard about the sword that breaks in half? The resulting two pieces are obviously weaker than the whole, but when soldered back together, the new sword is stronger than before as it survived the fire that repaired it. I think that Sirius and I are somewhat like that. Our friendship was fractured in two pieces; when we resolved our differences, that process was so difficult – so intense, our friendship became stronger. Does that make sense? Do you understand now?"

"I think so," Peter acknowledged.

"That's good. Peter, how do _you _feel about Sirius now? Can the four of us take up our friendship again without hard feelings over all that happened?"

Peter didn't hesitate. "Yes. I hated the last weeks before we left for the summer; _hated them_. I liked what we were before. It seemed like it would last and wouldn't come apart like friendships sometimes do. I liked being a part of something like that. Now that it's back, I don't want it to break again."

Remus smiled. "It means a lot to me, as well. Maybe now that we both understand that fact, we'll work harder to defend it, yes?"

Peter nodded. "So, since our group has deserted us, what would you like to do?"

"How about a couple of bachelors heading down to the kitchens to see if they've got any chocolate cake? It's a long time 'til breakfast. What do you say?" Remus rose.

Peter grinned. "I say that I like how you think. Let's go!"

XXXXXXXX

Kate settled herself under the covers, head resting on Sirius' shoulder and fingers drawing lazy circles on the smooth, pale skin of his chest.

"This is all going to come to a crashing halt in a very few days, love," she said, turning her face to drop a soft kiss on his shoulder.

"Don't remind me," Sirius whispered, pulling her more tightly against him. "Perhaps I'll have to put my mind to the task and find a way that we can be together every now and again."

"Won't be easy," Kate replied.

"Nothing worthwhile ever _is_; didn't this summer teach us that?"

"Well, at least Peter seems to be ok with everything, although he _was _a bit difficult about it at first," Kate observed and was surprised to feel Sirius tense beside her. "What? He's fine now."

Sirius shifted gently so that they were both on their sides facing one another. "That's not it. Katie, did you think that Peter was acting strangely today?"

Kate thought back to the afternoon and evening. "Well, I suppose he was a bit irritable when he was talking about his mother and how she seems to be holding him back from doing what he really wants to do with his life. That's to be expected, isn't it? I mean, it has to be rather difficult for him being the only child with his father gone."

Sirius nodded. "Maybe that's all it is, but something's been bothering me about the conversation we were having when you and Lily walked in."

"When I explained that we thought we'd wait until tomorrow to tell him the rest of what had transpired over the holiday? Yes, I do remember thinking it odd that he became so anxious, wondering what might have been wrong. I guess I just put it down to anxiety about all that had happened between us just before term ended and his natural dislike of being out of the loop on anything…."

"That's it!" Sirius interrupted.

"_What's _'it'?"

"What you just said. Peter hates to be kept out of the loop on anything. He's been stuck in Wales with his mother and grandmother for most of the holiday. He had no way of knowing anything that we've heard from Jamie's dad, Uncle Alphard _or_ Dumbledore, right?" Sirius sat up sharply, his expression reflecting the whirlwind of thoughts moving through his mind.

"Right," Kate sat up next to him gently grasping his chin and turning his face toward her. "I don't understand where you're going with this, love."

"Katie, how would Wormtail have known that the Rivers family disappeared?" Sirius said, quieter now. "_We_ only found out about it after term ended – and we haven't gotten to that part of the story with him yet."

Kate thought for a moment. "Do you suppose he could have heard from that man he met with in London? Peter said that he worked at the Ministry."

Sirius nodded his head. "It's possible, but I hate to think so."

"What do you mean?"

"Dumbledore told us that he was taking us into his confidence about Anastasia and her family. There is a very small group of people who know that anything has happened to them. The MLE wants to keep it quiet to avoid panicking people before there's a need _and _to avoid giving whoever _is _responsible a heads up that anyone's on to them. You know; you were there when we were talking about it all."

"Yes, but if this man works for the Ministry, isn't it conceivable that he would know about the Rivers? Maybe he's part of the MLE, after all," Kate pointed out.

Sirius looked at her in annoyance. "So, following that thought, you don't think it would be unusual for a member of the MLE to tell a 16 year-old Hogwarts' student about a highly confidential case being handled by the highest levels of his department?"

Kate bristled at his tone and struggled to keep the irritation out of her voice. "_Fine_. Perhaps he _doesn't _work for the MLE. Perhaps he overheard something in the lift or the cafeteria. Perhaps he knows the family – or someone who lives near them. He was meeting with Peter to discuss career options. Peter wants to be an Auror, but his mum wants him to do something less dangerous. Isn't it also likely that this mystery man might have pulled the Rivers family out in an attempt to convince Peter that his mother had a point?"

"The point isn't _why _he told Peter, it's _that_ he told him," Sirius replied.

Kate stared at him. "_If _he told him at all! Really, we're just guessing here; we don't even know who the man _is_!"

Sirius remained silent.

Kate endured it for awhile, then rolled her eyes and put her hand on his arm to get his attention. "Listen, Sirius; all we know is that Peter somehow discovered that the Rivers family is missing. It doesn't have to have any nefarious connotation – he just … oh, wait; Sirius, you don't actually _think_ that _Peter_ is in any kind of position to know first-hand the details behind that disapp-…"

Sirius looked at her, his expression incredulous. "I can't believe you'd suggest that – even in _jest_." He shook his head as Kate brought her mirth under control. "Peter Pettigrew is afraid of his own shadow; haven't you spent enough time with us to know that by now? Haven't you seen the way he hares after James all the time? Why do you think he was so undone by the rift in our group last term? Peter defines himself through his friendships with us, his status as a Marauder – and all the protection and popularity that status gives him. _I'd_ be more likely to cozy up to the Dark element than Peter would – and you know how much I _love _those Dark-obsessed, Pureblood families! No, Katie; Peter's loyalty is _not_ what I'm concerned about."

Kate reached over and tucked an errant wave of dark hair behind Sirius' ear then dropped her hand to rest on his shoulder. "Then what _is_?"

Sirius huffed in exasperation. "Even though we've no proof, it seems likely that the man Peter met with is the one who informed him of the Rivers' disappearance. He works for the Ministry, that much _is _certain, as we have it from Peter, himself. My _concern_ is that if this bloke works for the MLE, then he should _know _that any information he _has _is confidential. If he works for the MLE as an _Auror_, that goes _double_! There really isn't – or doesn't appear to be – any good reason for him to be telling Peter what he knows. Makes me wonder if he's telling others, as well. Even if he isn't, it would seem that perhaps Mr. Potter might have a bit of a problem on his hands."

Kate sat quietly, contemplating all that Sirius had proposed. Finally, she spoke. "I gather that you intend to pursue this?"

"You don't think I should?"

The young witch sighed. "I don't know, Sirius; I suppose so. You just seem so _certain_ of this theory that you have and, to my mind, there are other explanations that are just as plausible."

"Such as?"

"_Such as_ Peter discovering the information from a source outside the Ministry's control. People gossip, Sirius and there could easily have been someone who was in the area of the Rivers' home when they disappeared and who managed to escape the _Obliviate_ performed on the others. _They_ could have told someone…" Kate began, only to be interrupted by Sirius once again.

"…told someone in _Wales_, Kate? Someone who just _happened_ to run into Peter – or his _mother_ – and thought to share it?"

"All _right_, then – why don't you consider _this one_: We know that there were men at that meeting who were discussing the Rivers' disappearance to some degree. Some of those men have children who attend _this school_. Suppose Peter ran into Lucius Malfoy or one of your _other _cousins who overheard their fathers talking about the incident at home – or chose to share it with them directly, since they've all embraced the general Pureblood philosophy anyway and would most likely take some amusement from the story. Let's not forget that when he's alone, Peter is particularly vulnerable to them – partly because he's not as strong as the rest of you and partly because he's not as capable of ignoring them – and they know it. Let's say one – or _more _thanone – decided to taunt him a bit about what happens to wizards and witches who don't know enough to stay away from Muggle-borns. You can't deny that neither your cousins nor their friends are not above making threats at those they don't like; if those threats can gain more credibility from actual events, so much the better!" Kate paused for breath and noted that Sirius was now following her words very intently. "There; I've got you thinking, haven't I?"

Sirius nodded, slowly. "All right, Katie. I'll admit that what you're proposing could – _could,_ mind – have happened, as well."

"I was thinking that it might be the more _likely_ proposition, actually," Kate replied, "given that we can actually tie students in this school to the men who attended that meeting. These students know Peter and have a long history of making his life miserable – or trying to. Contrast that with the fact that you think Peter so timid and incapable of falling in with that crowd _and_ thathe gave us a very plausible explanation of _why_ he met with an old friend of his late father's. I think you'd have to agree that my theory is the one worth pursuing with Mr. Potter. I'm assuming that you planned to go to James so he could get his father involved in the discussion, yes?"

Again, the dark head nodded.

"Alone?"

"No."

His voice carried a note of defiance that suggested he might have originally considered the option.

It was Kate's turn to sigh. "Sirius, I'm going to say something to you that you might not care very much for, but I'd like you to listen without interrupting me, if you wouldn't mind." Waiting until she had Sirius' attention again, Kate continued. "At the moment, something quite disturbing is happening in our world – or starting to happen at any rate. We don't entirely understand it. Those in positions of power to deal with it don't entirely understand it, either. It is sinister and it is destructive and it's moved well beyond name-calling and House loyalties – past and present. Dumbledore has brought the Ministry in – or perhaps it is James' father who went to Dumbledore, it doesn't really matter which; the immutable point is that no single person can act alone in trying to halt its progress. Whoever took Anastasia's family and left those runes and symbols on their home – and whatever motivated them to do so - is a formidable foe. Those markings were meant to intimidate, to frighten. So, you have an idea about things. Perhaps it has merit, perhaps it doesn't. I have a theory I think is plausible. It may or may not be so. Relying on each other, putting our minds together with everyone else to evaluate any and all information that comes our way is the _only _way we can hope to stop whatever this is. There's a reason that Dumbledore pulled us all into that room. This isn't a game. This isn't the time for you to go off on your own, Sirius. I suspect those days are over and done with now."

"Are you finished?"

"For the moment," Kate replied quietly then sat back and waited for the explosion she felt quite sure would follow. To her surprise, Sirius reached for her hand and, after entwining their fingers, spoke as quietly as she had done.

"I understand what you're saying, Katie and contrary to what you might be thinking, I'd already discarded that idea. I won't deny that I'd thought about it; I guess it will always be my inclination to involve as few people as possible when I think there might be trouble afoot. Call it self-protection, if you want to; maybe that's what it is. The fewer the number who know what I'm thinking, the better off I've always been."

"Not always," Kate said softly, gently squeezing his fingers. "I can recall times when speaking up might have saved you quite a bit of trouble."

Sirius leaned over and placed a brief kiss on her lips. "Shh; my turn to talk now." He kept hold of Kate's hand as he sat back in his original spot. "I just don't want this to get away from us, Kate. I know what these people can do – some of it anyway; I've lived with and around them long enough to be well versed. Maybe I get away from myself with my ideas because I can't do much more than think about things until we're out of here. And 'out of here' seems like such a long ways away. Kate – you all are my family now: you, James, Lily, Remus and Peter. You're the family I chose – who chose _me_, just as I am and even after I fucked things up so royally. I don't want to risk losing you all over again. Not if there's anything I can do to prevent it."

Kate edged backward toward their abandoned pillows, tugging Sirius with her. Kate scooted down beneath the covers, holding them up so Sirius would do the same. Once they were lying face to face, she spoke again. "I understand what's motivating you – truly, I do. Can you see how all of us together stand a better chance of success than any one person alone?"

Sirius nodded then leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

"Don't you think that I have the same fear of losing _you_ that you have of losing _us_?"

Another kiss. "But if we all stick together, you haven't got anything to worry about, do you?"

Kate smiled. "Not a thing."

"So we'll talk with Moony _and _James _and _Lily _and _Peter in the morning?"

"Absolutely."

"And we're finished with all of our talking for tonight?" Sirius whispered against her lips.

"Yes, please," came the whispered response.

"Good," Sirius replied. "I'm suddenly feeling very … _motivated_."

Kate's answering laughter was swiftly silenced.


	66. Mysteries Multiply

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Some language

Chapter 66 – Mysteries Multiply

Sirius finally gave up on sleep at dawn. He rose carefully to avoid waking Kate, dressed and left, closing the door quietly behind him. Making his way along the cool hallways of the castle, he encountered no one. Moving swiftly, the young wizard soon reached the vast entry way and a moment later, he was jogging along the path that led to the Quidditch pitch.

The conversation he'd had with Kate had been unsettling – so much so that Sirius felt unable to gain any perspective on the subject of Thomas O'Hanlon. Running had allowed him to better think through topics that troubled him; this he had learned well at the end of the previous school year. Now he hoped it would work on this situation. Sirius finished stretching and began to run, clearing his mind of all thought for the first several laps, as had become his habit. A half-hour into his routine, Sirius allowed the previous evening's discussion to flood back in and he began to evaluate what they knew – and what it all might mean.

So intent was Sirius that he lost track of time, slowing to a walk only when he finally felt the protest of his overworked legs.

"Finally made yourself dizzy running around in circles like that, did you?"

Sirius raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun and looked in the direction of the laughing voice. He smiled. "'morning, Moony," he called. "Dizzy? No. You should try this sometime. Great way to clear the head."

The dark-haired wizard picked up his shirt and water bottle and made his way up to the bench where Remus sat.

"Aren't you the one who's always telling me that I think _too _much?" the young werewolf chuckled in reply.

"True enough," Sirius smiled, then drank deeply of the icy water.

"You're up early this morning," Remus observed. "I suspect that you either had something troubling you _or_ that Kate has finally had enough of your snoring."

Sirius slapped his friend's arm lightly. "Kate's not tired of me at all, thanks very much!"

"So, what's on your mind, then?"

Sirius sighed. "O'Hanlon. Peter. Kate. Her mother; take your pick, really. Kate and I had quite the discussion last night." He paused and gave Remus a pointed look. "It didn't make for a restful night, I can tell you."

"Ah," Remus nodded. "So, here you are."

"So here I am."

"Any theories to share?"

Sirius nodded again. "_Too many_, I'm afraid – and I don't think I like any of them. Kate thinks we should go to Dumbledore with them – after we all talk amongst ourselves, of course."

"Of course," Remus said thoughtfully, gazing out over the pitch. "And by 'all', you're including Peter." Although his tone was casual, there was an underlying … _something_ that caught Sirius' attention. Before he could question Remus, however, James' voice split the quiet morning air in greeting.

"Oi! You know, I recall a time when prank-plotting involved _me_, as well. What mischief might you two fine wizards be cooking up this morning?"

Remus looked beyond James, in the direction from which his friend had come. James followed his gaze. "So, _not_ mischief, then."

"Not mischief," Remus confirmed.

James nodded. "Peter was sound asleep when I left the dorm a few minutes ago," he confirmed. "Didn't even flinch when I dropped my shoe." He met Remus' raised eyebrow with a smile. "Just a guess that you might have been looking for Peter a minute ago. So, gonna let me in on this conversation?"

Sirius took a breath and relayed the details of his discussion with Kate to both young men. When he was finished no one spoke for several minutes.

"Do you _really_ think it was O'Hanlon who met with Peter?" James finally asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Seems possible, doesn't it?"

"But just as likely that it wasn't," James pointed out.

"_More_ likely," Remus added.

"Why '_more_'?" Sirius challenged.

"O'Hanlon doesn't work for the Ministry, does he? The man who met with Peter used to know his father – when they _both_ worked at the Ministry of Magic." Remus' tone was quiet, but firm.

"Maybe he used to work there," Sirius shot back, but his voice held less conviction than before.

"Not likely, Pads," James put in. "didn't Kate say that O'Hanlon had lived abroad? That he owned a real estate business? Wouldn't have left him much time for a Ministry career, you have to admit."

"Or much opportunity to develop a friendship with Peter's father," Remus added. "Sirius, I agree that Peter has been behaving a bit odd since he returned, but that could just as easily be attributed to all that's happened this summer and the fact that he wasn't a part of so much of it."

Sirius nodded, hating to be wrong, but realizing that Remus' perspective – and James' – were more developed and better organized versions of where his own thoughts had taken him during his run. "So you think we should let it go? Not ask any questions about the man he met with, then?"

"Oh, I don't know if I'd go _that_ far," Remus replied. "I don't think asking Peter for the wizard's name is a bad idea. If nothing else, we can give it to Dumbledore and he can decide what to do with the information."

James agreed. "Listen, you know Pete. He's a nice bloke who's still tied to his mum's apron strings. He wants to be free of her, but doesn't want any trouble, either. He doesn't think for himself much; haven't you seen that enough to know the truth of it? He's part of _us_, but he follows what _we_ do; he doesn't initiate anything beyond a game or two of Wizard Chess. We've always looked out for him. If his mum's hooked some guy from the Ministry into pushing Wormtail into a job he doesn't want, then maybe Dumbledore can help him. And, if his mum's been duped as well, then that's all the more reason to say something to the Headmaster."

Remus nodded. "It's 6th year. Newts' year. As James says, we might be able to help Pete avoid taking a miserable job that he'll hate for the rest of his life."

"All right, mates," Sirius looked at his friends. "Who's going to do the asking, then?"

"I will," Remus said, rising. "In fact, I think I'll head back and wake him up for breakfast. It wouldn't do for him to see us _all _trooping in together after he's missed out on everything we've done together this summer. He'll just feel left out again."

"Good man," James grinned. "We'll meet you in the Great Hall in a bit." He inclined his head toward Sirius before continuing, "It will give _this_ one the chance to take a much-needed shower!" James ducked, laughing, as Sirius took a good natured swing at his arm.

After Remus had left, the two remaining Marauders watched his progress up the path to the castle and when Remus had disappeared over the hill, they began their own, slower trek across the grounds.

XXXXXXXX

When Sirius and James arrived at the castle, Sirius headed directly to the showers while James took a seat in the common room to await his friends. It wasn't long before Kate, then Lily joined him and James brought them both up to speed on the morning's events.

Kate, in particular, felt relieved that Sirius had listened to reason and was willing to take a more logical approach to "the mystery man" who had met with Peter in London. If it _was _Thomas O'Hanlon, the Headmaster, James' father and Sirius' uncle could look into the matter and respond accordingly. If it wasn't her mother's new husband, they could direct their time to investigating his other activities. Soon, footsteps were heard on the dormitory staircase and Peter, followed by Remus, soon appeared. A moment later, Sirius joined them.

"Hungry, mates?" Sirius grinned, loping one arm over Peter's shoulders and the other around Kate's waist.

"I could eat a hippogriff," the plump boy declared as the group moved forward.

With a laugh, Sirius removed his arm, allowing Peter to fall in step with James. Sirius caught Remus' eye and lifted an eyebrow. "Yes?" he mouthed silently.

Remus nodded and smiled. He leant down and whispered, "Daniel Follensbee."

Sirius exhaled, feeling relief flood through him. He looked at Remus and smiled wryly. "And I was _so_ sure it was O'Hanlon."

"A logical suspicion, I'd say," Remus said walking toward the portrait hole with his friend. "I still say it's worth giving Dumbledore the name for further investigation. Just in case."

Sirius nodded. "Just in case."

XXXXXXXX

The remainder of the week was spent lounging about the grounds and, prodded by the young witches, getting ready for the commencement of the new term.

During one trip to Hogsmeade for parchment and other supplies, the group stopped into The Three Broomsticks for lunch and was delighted to find Alphard Black seated in a booth, dining alone. It didn't take a great deal of effort for the students to convince their new professor to abandon his solitary meal and join them. Sirius was quick to introduce Peter to his uncle and the older wizard soon had the rather shy boy laughing at some of his more outrageous stories. On the way back to the school, Sirius put a hand on his uncle's arm, indicating that they should slow their pace and allow the others to move ahead of them on the path. When they were out of earshot, Sirius took a breath. "I was wondering if Professor Dumbledore had discovered anything about this Follensbee bloke who met with Pete in London."

Alphard nodded. "Well, he's done a bit of sleuthing and it seems that Mr. Follensbee is not a current Ministry employee." He glanced over at his young nephew and noting the frown forming on Sirius' face, was quick to add, "Now, don't start worrying just yet, my boy. Albus is making additional inquiries. I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this."

Sirius remained silent.

Alphard put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sirius, when have you _ever _known Albus Dumbledore to do _anything_ by half?"

Sirius grinned, sheepishly. "I _know_. It's just…"

"'It's just' that you're concerned about your friend – _and _your young lady," Alphard finished, delighted to see a faint blush rise in the other wizard's cheeks. "She's a lovely girl, Sirius, one whose recently –acquired stepfather appears to have some rather _troubling _connections. It's only natural that you'd be concerned."

"Thanks for that," Sirius replied. "I reckon I'm not very good at _not _worrying about the people I love."

"An admirable trait – in moderation," came the kind response. "You, alone, do not carry the entire burden of worry on your shoulders, however. There are others who are actively investigating the things that are of current concern."

Sirius kicked a stone, watching it tumble and skitter lightly along in the dust before he spoke. "Has my mother made any more noise about meeting with me?"

"None, to my knowledge. Dumbledore has not indicated so at any rate," the older wizard responded. "Were you expecting her to attempt to contact you again?"

"Walburga Black does _not _accept defeat," Sirius looked pointedly at his uncle. "And she _definitely_ won't appreciate being denied access to her own son – no matter that she no longer considers me as such."

"There is little chance that she can get to you without Dumbledore's knowledge, son; you know this."

"Yes, but she can still wreak havoc in other ways." Sirius' voice was quiet. "_You_ know _this_."

Alphard nodded sadly. "You're thinking of Regulus."

"She'll turn him," Sirius said with a quiet finality. "She'll prey on his fear of all that he saw last year."

"He could always stand up to her," Alphard suggested, but Sirius immediately shook his head.

"No! He won't defy her. Regulus is _weak_, Uncle. He's afraid of her – of both of them, actually – and with good reason."

"Perhaps you can influence him if what you fear _does_ come to pass," Alphard ventured. "You've probably more influence over Regulus than you realize, you know."

When there was no response, Alphard allowed the silence as the pair plodded along the path. Eventually, Sirius spoke.

"He's seen the consequences of defying Orion and Walburga Black – and more than once." He shook his head, thinking back to the Christmas holiday and his treatment at his parents' hands.

"And he's risen to the occasion – more than once," Alphard gently reminded his nephew. "If young Regulus was influenced solely by your parents, he would not have done so."

Sirius recalled how his younger brother had brought toast to the cellar where he had been imprisoned at Christmas. His thoughts then turned to more recent events – and how Regulus had summoned their father home after Sirius had run away – for good. He recognized the truth in Alphard's words, but couldn't help but wonder if his own influence would be strong enough to keep his brother away from the growing Darkness which seemed to be embraced by his family.

"Give him a chance, Sirius," Alphard was saying now. "He may surprise you."

_I hope so, Uncle_, Sirius thought. _I hope so_.

XXXXXXXX

The weekend brought with it the final evidence that the summer holiday had come to an end. On Saturday evening, the six friends arrived in the Great Hall for dinner to find the High Table back in its familiar place. The highly polished, wooden surfaces of the House tables once again gleamed in their orderly rows. While the group regretted that their holiday was over, they felt a sense of _rightness_ in the comfortable familiarity of the sight.

"Come, children," the Headmaster called from his center seat. "We've set your places up here with us this evening."

Sirius gave James a mischievous grin. "Let's see how the other half lives, eh, Jamie?"

James returned the grin with an equally dangerous one of his own. "Who knows if we'll ever get another chance?"

The students settled themselves in and Dumbledore clapped his hands together. Immediately, the golden platters filled. "Tuck in, everyone!"

During dinner, Sirius looked up and caught Remus gazing out over the empty tables. He leaned over to his friend. "Looking into the future, mate?"

To his surprise, Remus' expression reflected both longing – and sadness. "Not mine, I'm afraid."

Sirius laid down his knife and fork. "Remus, look what you've accomplished. You're a _Hogwarts'_ _student_ – and the best and brightest of us, at that! You once told me how you never thought you would get your letter – yet, _here you are_. You're living proof that nothing is impossible."

Remus shook his head. "_This_ is. No –," Remus strove to head off the protest he knew was coming. "Padfoot, I appreciate what you're saying, but listen to me for a moment. I am here because Albus Dumbledore took a risk. He convinced the faculty and staff that my condition could be managed and he built the Shrieking Shack – _and _planted the Whomping Willow tree as protections. HE swore them all to secrecy. We've been incredibly lucky that so many are so loyal to him. Otherwise, I may never have had this chance. We've also been lucky that, in the majority, things have worked out so well. That's not a jab, Padfoot," the young werewolf added softly, noting the sadness the crossed the other wizard's face. "But it _does_ serve as a reminder of how easily things can go pear-shaped." Remus' gaze returned to the tables that would soon be filled by both the returning and new students. When he turned back to Sirius, resignation and regret filled his eyes. "As a student, this was possible. I am here to have the chance for an education. I am just one student amongst hundreds of others. It's far easier for my condition to be hidden from the school's Governors as a student than it would be if I were a teacher. Parents would _not _tolerate a werewolf donning professors' robes and instructing their children."

Sirius watched his friend as he spoke and found himself appalled anew at the prejudice that inhabited their world – a prejudice that prevented this very intelligent wizard from doing something he so obviously loved.

"Things have to change," he said, jaw set.

Remus smiled. "Perhaps they _will_ one day. Not now, though; with so much Darkness rising, we dark _creatures_ are hardly welcomed with open arms."

"It's not right, Moony," Sirius said. "You were cursed; you didn't choose the wolf. You would be as good a teacher as anyone – better than most; you deserve the chance."

Remus didn't reply; instead turning his attention back to his meal.

"What _will _you do after we've finished at Hogwarts, Moony?" Sirius' voice betrayed his concern.

_Ah; caught on, have you?_ Remus looked over at his friend and sighed. "I don't know, Pads. It's likely that I'll have to find something in the Muggle world; tutoring, perhaps. It will allow me to schedule around the moon each month."

"Or, you could tutor in _our _world," Sirius replied. "As long as no one knew about Moony you could have the same flexibility in scheduling your sessions."

"Possibly, Sirius, but you must realize that wizards are more likely than Muggles to figure out the truth of what I am," Remus smiled sadly. "There's not much point to this discussion, really, and no need to dwell on it, either. It _is_, after all, my problem to deal with, eh?"

Sirius shook his head. "Not alone, it isn't. There's still the better part of two years before you have to worry about all of this. We'll figure something out by then; I _know _we will."

Remus nodded. "Of course we will." _There's no point to riling _you _up, either, Pads. You can think what you will, the reality of it will present itself soon enough._

"This time tomorrow the Hall will look – and sound – quite different than it does tonight." Dumbledore glanced down the table in their direction. "Are you all prepared for the start of the new year?"

"Oh, yes," Lily replied. "We've been to Diagon Alley and have our books and supplies in order." The others nodded.

Dumbledore's rather benign smile remained in place. "Excellent! And have you reconciled yourselves to the loss of certain _freedoms_ that quite naturally follow being the only students in the castle?"

Sirius glanced over at James and hoped the sudden rush of color he noted on his friend's face wasn't a mirror reflection of his own. Professor McGonagall's murmured, "Albus?" did nothing to quell the heat.

James finally found his voice. "Well, sir, we've done without those 'freedoms' for five years; I believe we can manage for 2 more."

McGonagall's expression reflected her confusion. "I'm sure I don't know what you're both referring to, but…"

Dumbledore reached over and patted her hand. "Explorations, Professor. Just youthful _explorations._"

McGonagall huffed. "Well, I would strongly suggest that everyone give up _exploring_ this evening in favor of retiring early. You'll be all that much better for it come Monday morning."

Sirius waited until the professors were engaged in conversation before leaning over to Kate and whispering, "We wouldn't want to disappoint McGonagall, would we? Shall we 'retire early', then?"

Kate flushed and Sirius saw the corner of her mouth turn up slightly. "Oh, _do_ eat your ice cream," she whispered back.

XXXXXXXX

Late the following morning Sirius and Kate gathered their things and looked around the Room of Requirement before heading up to Gryffindor tower.

"I might have hated the circumstances that brought us here, but I _am _going to miss coming to this Room with you every night," Sirius said softly. He moved to where Kate stood and took her in his arms.

"I know," she agreed when he broke their kiss. "But perhaps we'll be able to come back once in awhile."

Back in the Tower, each returned to their respective dormitories to drop off their belongings before meeting back in the common room. Kate stepped off the stairway to find Remus waiting by the hearth.

"Good morning," she said, moving into the room to give her friend a brief hug in greeting.

Remus smiled in return. "Good morning. I assume we're waiting for Sirius to join us."

Kate nodded. "Have you seen James yet?" The missing Marauder and Lily had 'retired early' the previous evening, as well, also realizing that these intimate moments would now be few and far between.

"He came through a few moments ago," Remus confirmed. "Said Lily was waiting for us downstairs."

The portrait swung inward with a bang and Peter hurried into the room, intent on getting to the staircase.

"What's the rush, Peter?" Remus called and the other boy jumped slightly before turning around. "We've got a few minutes before lunch; no need to hurry."

"Remus! Kate! I didn't see you there," he replied. "Lunch – yes. I just want to go up to the dorm for a minute. Be right back." And he was gone before they could say another word.

Kate chuckled. "Well, that was certainly odd."

"I thought he was in the Great Hall with Lily," Remus mused.

"Well, that explains it," Kate replied. "You know how nervous he is around her, poor boy; she intimidates him something awful sometimes."

"You're right, you know," Remus said. "I think we all might want to work on that a bit. Peter's life doesn't sound like it's very much his own – at school or at home. It would be nice for him if he felt comfortable somewhere, don't you think?"

The two friends sat together quietly for a few moments before Kate spoke again. "Remus, have we made _you_ uncomfortable these last weeks? I mean, have you minded that Sirius and James haven't spent much time in the dormitory since we returned?"

"Not at all, Kate; really," came the quick reply. "No one is happier for the four of you than I am, after all. You're my best friends, after all."

Kate reached over and put her hand over his. "It will be nice when Dorcas arrives later today. You must have missed her this summer, especially these past few weeks."

Remus looked at their joined hands. "Yes, it will be good to see her again." There was something about his tone that struck Kate as odd but before she could question Remus, the thunder of footsteps on the stone stairs announced the arrival of James, Sirius and Peter, the latter clutching a piece of parchment in his left fist, face flushed.

"Come on, Pete," James was saying, voice teasing. "Give over. Who's sending you owls, then?" The boy feinted toward Peter's left hand and was amazed to find himself staring at the end of Peter's wand which the boy was holding tightly in his right.

"Blimey, Wormtail," James said, taking a step backward, "no real need for that, is there? I reckon I don't care that much, after all."

"You just don't know when to let _up_ – either of you," Peter spluttered, lowering his wand to his side in a jerky motion that bespoke his irritation. "I _said _that it was private, but you just couldn't let it go, could you? Had to chase me down the stairs for it; had to make a scene down here. You wouldn't do that to _him_," here the boy thrust out his chin in Sirius' direction. "You shouldn't do it to _me_, either."

Remus had stood when the trio first entered the room and now took a tentative step toward the angry wizard. "Don't worry about it, Peter. You're absolutely right; you're as entitled to your privacy as the rest of us. They were just teasing you."

Sirius was still eyeing the smaller wizard warily. "Yeah; just like always, Pete," he said quietly. "We didn't mean anything by it."

Peter looked 'round at his circle of friends and this time there was no anger in his expression. "It's just…well, it's a….it's not for you lot to -….it's complicated."

"Your mum, then?" James asked. "Is that…"

"It's not _that_ … oi - I _do _know other witches, you know," Peter said loudly.

"To be honest with you, Wormtail, we haven't really ever _heard_ that you …" Sirius stopped and a slow smile spread over his face. "Oi, it's from that bird you met over the summer, isn't it? Sent you a love letter, did she?" Content he'd identified the crux of the problem, Sirius stepped forward and clapped Peter on the back. "Good man! Made quite the impression on her!"

Peter took a breath as if to respond, but in the end exhaled loudly. "I suppose you're going to pester me about who…"

"No, Peter," Remus shook his head. "This is your affair. If you want to tell us about her, or that parchment, you can. Otherwise, we're going to leave it alone – _all of us_." This last was said while he looked at Sirius and James.

"Thanks," Peter said. "Go on down to lunch. I'm just going to send a quick note back; I'll catch you up."

The others agreed and the group walked through the portrait hole and continued down to the entrance of the castle. There, Peter turned toward the front doors while the rest of the group walked into the Great Hall.

"Well _that _was interesting," Kate said as the friends joined Lily at the otherwise empty Head table. The teachers were in conference for the afternoon so the students had the Hall to themselves.

"What was interesting?" Lily wanted to know.

The five friends brought her up to speed on the events that had just transpired in the tower. "He drew his wand over a message?" Lily's voice registered her concern.

"Yeah. Strange, isn't it?" James commented.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's _not_ 'strange', James. I'd say it's probably well overdue." When the bespectacled wizard started to protest, Lily raised her hand. "Stop. Don't say a thing – either of you. You've always teased that poor boy unmercifully. It's no wonder he finally snapped. How long did you think you could pick away at him before he did?"

"But don't you think there might be more to it than that, Lily?" Kate asked. "I mean, really; it seems more likely that Peter would go off the rails a bit if they were teasing him as they normally do. They weren't – not really."

"You weren't there, Lily," Sirius put in. "You didn't see him."

Lily waved her hand dismissively. "I wasn't there _this time_, more to the point. Sirius, I've seen you and James in action before. I'm certain that Peter had just reached the end of his rope. You were infringing on his privacy and you wouldn't let it go. No – this doesn't have anything to do with any owl he received; this was the last straw, so to speak. You have to leave off. Find something else to amuse yourselves with." A movement near the door caught her attention and she nodded toward the open hall. "Here he comes. Don't say another word about that owl…Peter!" Lily turned to greet the other wizard as he approached the table.

Peter smiled and took his seat. Looking around at his friends, he asked, "Are we going to have lunch or are we going to sit up here grinning at each other instead?"

Lily shrugged and laughed and one by one, the friends began to fill their plates. James watched Peter thoughtfully for a moment until Sirius elbowed him in the ribs. "Peter's appetite hasn't suffered from his little tantrum," he whispered. "If you're hungry, Prongs, you'd better dig in before there's nothing left. "

James nodded and, with a final glance in the smaller boy's direction, turned his attention to his own plate.

**For those of you who are still reading this story, I thank you for your continued patience at the snail's pace of my updates. Life has become very hectic but I hope to be able to schedule more consistent time to write. Thank you once again! **


	67. Family Reunited

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Some language

Chapter 67 – Family Reunited

The Great Hall was ablaze with light as thousands of floating candles hovered over those gathered there. The sound of hundreds of students, missing over the long summer holiday, reverberated around the room. Though most present would heartily deny it if asked, there was a sense of 'home' in their return to Hogwarts Castle. First years duly sorted and welcomed into their new Houses, welcoming speech delivered, the platters and serving dishes filled and everyone tucked into their dinner.

From his new place at the High Table, Alphard Black covertly observed two young men at opposite sides of the room. Regulus, seated at the Slytherin table, was quite obviously engaged in animated conversation with the silver-blonde wizard to his immediate left – a position that gave Alphard a clear view of the boy's face. Fork held loosely in his hand and forgotten for the moment, Regulus was focused on making a point to Lucius Malfoy. The latter gave the appearance of listening equally intently, but his eyes were firmly fixed on the Gryffindor table.

Following his gaze, Alphard discovered with no great surprise that object of Lucius' visual interest was Sirius. After hearing about some of the volatile encounters between the two over the summer, it was unrealistic to expect their behavior to be less so now that they were back in school. Alphard shifted his gaze back to the Slytherin table before returning to his great nephew. While Lucius' expression reflected his typical haughty disdain, Sirius' was a curious mixture of anger, apprehension and resignation. Alphard sighed. For all his bluff and bluster about his family, the older wizard knew that Sirius cared for his younger brother; seeing Regulus in conversation with Malfoy would not be welcomed.

"I received an owl from Walburga; she'd like to meet with me to discuss something of concern to her," Albus said quietly. Alphard turned to see the Headmaster's gaze fixed on Sirius.

"You're not going to actually allow that woman to come here?"

Alphard turned to his friend. "I've no real choice, Alphard; her children attend our school." Seeing the other wizard's frown deepen, the Headmaster added, "I've asked that Orion accompany her."

"He's just as bad," Alphard's tone was bitter.

"His most recent encounter with Sirius leads me to believe otherwise. No, I think Orion Black has realized exactly what his past behavior – and his wife's _continued_ actions – has cost him."

"and Sirius…"

"and Sirius," Albus confirmed sadly.

"When will you meet with them?"

"I've asked them to arrive just after lunch on Friday."

Alphard nodded appreciatively. "Sirius will be in my classroom at that time."

"Curious how these things work out, isn't it?" Albus smiled.

XXXXXXXX

"Padfoot, at the rate you're going, you should just get up, take your plate over there and eat with the Slytherins," James said, reaching across the table and stealing a crusty roll from his friend's plate.

Sirius tore his gaze from his brother long enough to lock on the hazel eyes of his friend. "Very funny, Prongs." The dark-haired wizard looked over at Regulus once more. "I can't tell if he's really in with them or not."

James looked over his shoulder and saw that Malfoy and the younger Black had their heads together. It appeared that Regulus was listening raptly to whatever Lucius Malfoy had to say. Turning back to Sirius, he shrugged. "Hard to say. Rather than drive yourself 'round the twist over it, maybe you _should _just talk to him. You said Regulus wasn't buying what happened to you this summer, right? You haven't really communicated with him, have you?"

Sirius shook his head. "No chance to, really. I've certainly no intention of visiting him at Grimmauld Place and my mother wasn't about to let go of Reg any earlier than she had to. After all, he's her last chance at keeping the Black name pure, isn't he?" Sirius' attention focused back on the wizard in question. "I wish I knew if she'd managed to get her claws into _him_ now that she's got rid of _me_."

Remus leaned toward his friend. "Talk to him. Ask him. Do it tonight, if possible; if not, try to catch him before first class tomorrow morning. No matter what's happened between you and your parents, he's still your brother and obviously cares for you. After all, Regulus defied your mother and contacted your father on your behalf the night you left home."

"That was a long time ago, Moony; it's just as likely that everything's changed," Sirius put his fork down and sighed. "Maybe I can catch him before he heads off to his dormitory."

It wasn't long before Dumbledore called the Prefects to lead first years to their houses and dismissed the remainder of the students to their common rooms. With a tense nod to his friends, Sirius rose and crossed the room in an attempt to catch up with his brother. As he approached the queue of Slytherins moving slowly toward the entrance, Sirius quickly located Regulus standing on the outer edge of a gathering that included his cousins, Narcissa and Bellatrix. Before Sirius could speak, however, his way was neatly blocked by Lucius Malfoy. Self-important smirk firmly in place, eyes narrowed to chips of blue ice, the Slytherin sixth year stared down his Gryffindor counterpart. "Black," he drawled. "What on _earth_ brings you over to _our _side of the hall? Change of heart, perhaps?"

Sirius fought to maintain a neutral expression as he shifted his focus to a point over the blonde wizard's shoulder. "Hi, Reg," he said quietly. "Wonder if I might have a word?"

The younger wizard cast a sidelong glance at the two witches to his right; Bellatrix and her sister watched Sirius as they waited for Regulus to answer. He didn't get the chance.

"Come along, then," the Slytherin Prefect's voice boomed out. "You're blocking the way for everyone else." Sirius glared at the heavy-set young wizard but his attention was soon diverted as he watched Bellatrix and Narcissa move to flank Regulus and shepherd him toward the door.

"Oi, Reg!" Sirius was gratified to see Regulus turn and walk toward him, sparing Lucius the barest of glances as he passed. The trio of Slytherins attempted to step out of the throng of students, but was unsuccessful as Professor Slughorn swept them along with him, nodding to two brothers as did so. Sirius couldn't resist a triumphant smile at the expression on Malfoy's face.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Sirius turned his attention back to his brother and was surprised to see that the boy was at least a half-head taller than he was when Sirius last saw him.

"You've gotten taller," Sirius blurted out.

"You called me over here to tell me _that_?"

Sirius returned his brother's smile. "Prat; no, that is _not_ the reason. You have, though. Grown, I mean."

"You haven't seen me in a while."

Sirius looked sharply at his brother's face, but there was no malice to be seen; just, it seemed, a sense of sadness. "It wasn't because I didn't want to see you, Reg," he began.

"I know that," Regulus hastened to respond. He looked around. The hall was emptying quickly.

"So, want to come up to Gryffindor tower for a while?" Sirius wasn't quite sure where that came from and Regulus' expression reflected his own surprise.

"I don't think…."

"Hello, boys," Alphard Black spoke from behind his great-nephews, both of whom had been so engrossed in their own conversation that they had never heard him approach. "Catching up, are you?"

Sirius looked over at Regulus and nodded. "We were thinking about heading up to Gryffindor's common room for a bit."

Alphard's eyebrows rose appreciably at that news. He turned to Regulus. "Courageous, that – very courageous, indeed. A serpent in the lion's den; perhaps _you _were sorted into the wrong house." He smiled at the nephew he had not seen in many years.

For his part, Sirius held his breath, uncertain how their great-uncle would be received. It seemed that Regulus shared his hesitation as he appeared to consider his response for some time. Finally he looked up. "I don't think my parents would have been happy with two Gryffindors in the family."

Alphard smiled. "I suspect not. Listen, why don't the two of you go up to my sitting room? Sirius, you know the way. You'll have your privacy; I've got some business to discuss with the Headmaster before I retire for the night."

"Thanks, Uncle," Sirius said, turning to Regulus. "Let's talk, yeah?"

XXXXXXXX

"How are you, Reg?"

The two brothers were seated before the blazing fireplace in Alphard's parlor. As desperate as he was to know where Regulus' loyalties now resided, Sirius found himself reluctant to ask the question. _Let's start with something more generic._

"I'm well, Sirius," the younger boy answered politely then rolled his eyes. "We sound quite formal; like we hardly know each other." He paused for a moment then slid to the floor, crossing his legs beneath him and leaning back against the sofa. "Better," he declared, his expression more relaxed as he lifted his chin in Sirius' direction. Sirius smiled and joined him. "Better."

Regulus allowed his gaze to sweep over his brother and his expression became more child-like – more in keeping with his age. "Are you? Better, I mean."

"Better than last you saw me? Yeah, but that wouldn't be hard, would it?" Sirius smiled softly. "Thank you for owling Father. That took courage."

Regulus shook his head. "I was afraid."

"You had every right to be." Sirius looked squarely at the other boy. "Did _she_ do anything to you after I left?"

Regulus shook his head, but his smile was bitter. "Mother … _retired_ … to her room after you left. I didn't see her again until the following morning, and then not for very long; she left with Father later that day." He paused. "They didn't help her very much."

"So I heard." At Regulus' questioning look, he added. "The night I left Grimmauld Place, I went to Kate's. Her mother took me in, let me stay with them until we joined the Potters in Brighton. I went wandering around London one afternoon and wound up in Diagon Alley. Father was there and we spoke. He told me – or tried to tell me – about Mother's _condition_ and his attempts to have her treated in Paris."

"She's sick, Sirius," Regulus said. "Father explained it all to me and…"

"…and you believed him," the other boy finished, his voice bitter. "That must have been _some_ explanation."

"Since you weren't there for it, you don't really know, do you? And if you won't shut up and let me actually _finish_ a sentence, you never _will_," Regulus spat.

Sirius' mind traveled back to similar, angry statements exchanged so recently with Remus and he swallowed hard. _Time to apply what I learned._ He exhaled sharply. "You're right. Go on, then."

Regulus' expression relaxed a bit. "Father said that when he first brought her to hospital, Mother was … difficult. She didn't want to stay there, didn't want anyone to examine her. Father said that she didn't feel there was anything wrong with her." Regulus paused as if expecting Sirius to break his silence with more caustic commentary, but the elder Black held his tongue. "Father said that the Healers told _him_ that her magic was registering in a strange way; it was like it had become fragmented at some point and when it came back together, it wasn't in the same way. He said it was inconsistent with the way it was before."

"It didn't _feel _inconsistent the last time I saw her," Sirius muttered, gaze fixed on the fire.

"I said something of the sort to Father," Regulus smiled thinly at the look of surprise on his brother's face. "Funnily enough, he said that the incident with you might have contributed to it."

"Brilliant! Another thing she can hang on me."

Regulus shook his head. "Well, not successfully at any rate; it would appear that you were the last straw. Mother's problems were always going to happen, according to the doctor she saw last."

Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "_Doctor_?" The change in term wasn't lost on the wizard.

Regulus nodded. "Yes. The Healers didn't think that whatever was wrong with her was based in magic; they thought that her behavior and inconsistent magical impressions were caused by something that was already a part of her. Something magic couldn't touch."

Sirius exhaled sharply. "Father took her to a Muggle hospital?"

"Not exactly. There's a center associated with the magical hospital in Paris and they've got Muggle doctors on staff. It's for special cases," Regulus shrugged.

"And Mother agreed to go?" Sirius' tone was incredulous.

"Well, she didn't really have much choice. Father didn't give her one." Regulus paused. "He also didn't tell her about the Muggle doctors who would be treating her."

"_That_ must have gone over well," Sirius allowed himself a small smile and shook his head. "How long did it take her to suss it out?"

"Not long," Regulus replied. "The absence of robes and wands seemed to be the first clue."

"What happened?"

Regulus turned toward the fire and Sirius saw the younger boy's face harden. "Did you know that Mother requires neither wand nor voice for her magic?"

Sirius felt a chill wash over him. He had known, of course, that Walburga was proficient at wandless magic; his experience the night he'd left Grimmauld Place for the last time had reinforced that knowledge. But silent magic? To have no warning of what was about to be unleashed? In hindsight, he realized that he should have known but perhaps, at the time, it was a concept too horrible to imagine.

"She hit the first doctor with the Reductor curse and had turned toward the second before the Healers arrived and managed to restrain her." Regulus turned back to his brother. "She didn't react well to the Full Body Bind."

"I can imagine," Sirius exhaled sharply.

"By the time Father came back into the room, the Healer had managed to put the doctor right. They refused to release Mother from the Bind, though. They took Father aside to speak with him and he returned alone some time later. He told Mother that the doctor whom she had attacked was prepared to press charges against her. If this happened, the incident could not be concealed and would most certainly be carried back to our social circles in London."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Did the doctor…"

Regulus shook his head, "No. The Healers managed to convince him that her reaction to him – and his colleague – was potentially due to the same malady that brought her to the facility in the first place. As long as the Healers dealt directly with Mother, the doctor agreed to coordinate the Muggle portion of the testing, including the analysis, behind the scenes." He gave his brother a wry smile. "Given Father's earlier speech, Mother was inclined to cooperate, after a fashion."

"'_After a fashion_'," Sirius repeated. "She didn't try to attack them again, did she?"

"No, no," Regulus reassured him. "Nothing like that. She was…well, she was _Mother_; I suppose that's the best way to describe it. You know how she gets: cold, silent."

"Yes; I know. You'll understand if I say that I found that preferable to her other behaviors, won't you?" Sirius looked pointedly at his brother, knowing that their shared memories would reinforce his statement. The boy's nod confirmed it. After a few moments, he took up his story again.

"When all the Muggle and Magical testing came back, they came to the conclusion that Mother suffers from a nervous disorder of some kind…."

"A _nervous _disorder?" Sirius' tone was incredulous. "That's _it_? _That's _how they explain the things she does? She's _nervous_?"

"She has a nervous _disorder_, Sirius; one that informs her personality when her emotions are running high," Regulus explained, brow furrowing as he strove to recall all that Orion had told him. "It has something to do with the chemicals in her brain. There are Muggle medications that she can take that will put that piece right, but…"

"…she won't take them."

"No; she won't take them," Regulus concurred. "The fact that she's magical makes it worse – that, and the brandy." The young wizard's face reddened a bit at that statement. "Mother wouldn't listen to anything the Healers said after they'd told her what was wrong and how they proposed to treat her. Because she's refused treatment, the Healers told Father that there wasn't anything they could do for her and that it would be best if he took her home."

_Where things will continue as they've always been – with one exception: I won't be there to take it from her any longer._ Sirius found small comfort in that thought. While he would no longer be subject to Walburga Black's mood swings, this put Regulus squarely in the line of fire – literally.

"And since she's been home? Has she…are _you_ all right?" _Can't avoid the question forever, I suppose._

"She hasn't done anything _to_me, if that's what you're asking," Regulus spoke softly. "But she hasn't had much of an opportunity; Father hasn't left the house very much since their return. When he does need to leave, Cissy or Bella come to stay with us. I've not been left alone in the house with her."

Sirius felt an odd mixture of relief and resentment. Although Orion's choice of company for his wife was far from appealing to him, at least he seemed to finally realize that his wife posed a threat to their children – a realization that had not come in time for Sirius; he could only hope that it spared his brother the treatment that had informed his own childhood.

"I'm glad, Reg," he said sincerely. "I wouldn't want you to go through what I did – not any of it."

"She still talks about you, you know," Regulus shared quietly. When he observed that his brother's face paled slightly, he added, "Sorry."

Sirius shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for, Reg. I reckoned she would; I got away, after all. Can't imagine she'd be pleased."

Regulus took a breath as if to speak, then exhaled sharply and remained silent.

"You don't have to do that, you know," Sirius said. "It's fine to talk about it. It's probably better, actually. No surprises."

Regulus remained silent for a few moments as if considering his brother's words. Then, with a small nod, he made up his mind. "She knows what you did over the summer – where you stayed and with whom."

Sirius shrugged. "I don't care that she knows and it doesn't surprise me. I saw Father in Hogsmeade that one day, after all. If he didn't mention anything to her, I've also seen Malfoy, Bellatrix – and their lot – several times. Malfoy's mother saw me in Paris. We live in a small world, Reg; I didn't try to hide from anyone, and any of _them_ could have told her."

Regulus nodded. "She knows about the fight in that … _bar_ … in Brighton, that you're still seeing Kate Morgan; she knows about Edgar Bones' son and what you did to Bella in Diagon Alley," Regulus' face reflected his discomfort at sharing this additional news with his older brother. Sirius, however, was quick to reassure him.

"Reg, we all know how many people are only too eager to make my transgressions known at Grimmauld Place. Lucius Malfoy and his friends were part of the brawl in Brighton – in fact, they instigated it. Those Muggle boys were gay, Reg; it's not a disease, but to _that _crowd it was. The only thing David and his friends were guilty of that night was bad luck. They were pawns in Malfoy's latest scheme to discredit me to the Blacks – and they gave those Slytherins an excuse to attack Muggles. _Bellatrix_ disarmed Edgar Bones' 11 year-old son, Ted, and was terrorizing him simply because she _could_ and because she took a perverse pleasure in doing so. I did what _I _did because it wasn't a fair fight; that kid had no idea who or what he was up against and less of a clue how to get out of it. Come _on_, Reg; you've been around Bella often enough to know what she's about – what she's capable of. Ted Bones never had a chance against her. I did what I had to do and I would do it again," Sirius paused. "As far as Kate Morgan is concerned, who I see is of no concern to them; it's my business and none of theirs."

Regulus stiffened a bit. "They are our parents, Sirius."

"They are _your_ parents, Reg. They are simply biologically responsible for me – nothing more." Sirius lifted himself up from the floor and sat heavily on the sofa. "Look, it's not like I'm alone in how I feel about them. They disowned me, Reg. She's blasted me off the family tapestry! You just don't walk back into the house and sit down for a family dinner after something like that happens!"

Regulus was silent, his gaze trained on the fire. Sirius waited for a few moments, but Regulus still did not speak. "Look, Reg, I meant it when I said that I didn't care what they thought of me. I _do_, however, care about what happens to you as a result. I want you to be safe. I don't want you to go through what I went through just because I'm no longer there and you're the designated heir."

Regulus turned back to Sirius and for the first time the older wizard noticed that his face had changed. The rounded cheeks of the child were beginning to show signs of yielding to the sharper planes and angles of the man to come. More telling was the boy's expression, which was very somber, indeed. "There's nothing you can do about it, Sirius; I _am _the 'designated heir', as you say. Mother and Father are beginning to pursue a marriage arrangement for me – just as they did for you."

Sirius shifted impatiently. "You don't _have _to go along with it, Reg," he protested. "You should be able to choose for yourself. You should…"

"I should _what_, Sirius? Do what you did? To what purpose?" Regulus shook his head. "Look, without you there, I'm all they have, right? I'm the only son at home; I'm the heir. They won't do to me what they did to you." In a move ironically reminiscent of James, the boy ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You and I are the last males in the Black family line. You've left. I am the last son who can keep the line intact."

"You sound just like _her_," Sirius looked away, his heart beginning to sink a little as he listened to his brother. To his surprise, Regulus wasn't defensive. Sirius wondered if he imagined the hint of resignation in the younger boy's response.

"Parts of it _did_ come from '_her'_," he acknowledged. "I reckon it makes sense." He paused then asked curiously. "What will you do now? Where will you live when you're not here?"

Sirius looked at his brother appraisingly. "Who's asking?"

It took Regulus a moment to realize what he had been asked. When it finally dawned on him, his face flushed in anger and he made to stand. Sirius' hand on his shoulder detained him.

"Sorry," the older boy said. "It's just…"

"I'm _not_ their spy," Regulus bit out but he settled back onto the floor again. "I asked because _I _wanted to know."

"Sorry," Sirius said again. After a slight squeeze to Regulus' shoulder, he removed his hand. "I have one or two options," he continued. "Other than just staying here, which I've been told I can do."

"The Potters," Regulus offered.

Sirius nodded. "Yes; and Uncle Alphard has also mentioned that I could stay with him."

"Sirius, Mother and Father are not happy about Uncle Alphard's _'interference'_ with you. I don't have a lot of details, but when mother found out that you'd connected with him in Paris, she was livid." Regulus closed his eyes and recalled Walburga's tirade. While he had been separated from her by the study door, Regulus had, nonetheless, been fully aware of her temper. "I don't think it would be safe for you to stay with him."

It was Sirius' turn to show his own anger. "What did you hear?"

Regulus slid a bit away from his brother. "I _told_ you: I don't have a lot of details!"

"'Not a lot'", Sirius repeated. "Tell me what _little_ you _do_ know."

Regulus sighed. "I _don't_ know much and can't be certain of everything I've overheard…"

"Why not just tell me everything and we'll go from there?" Sirius' voice was quieter now, but it was pure steel.

"He's being watched," came the reply. As he saw Sirius take a breath as if to interrupt, Regulus held up his hand. "I don't know who's been watching him in France."

Sirius' mind went back to his last visit to his uncle's flat – and to the circumstances surrounding Alphard's assignment to the Hogwarts' staff. "Have you ever heard the name Thomas O'Hanlon?"

Regulus nodded. "Father knows him."

Sirius fought to keep his expression neutral. "Ever seen him? Has he come to Grimmauld?"

Regulus shook his head. "No. I've only heard Father mention his name. I think he's a business associate."

"Anything else?"

"The Malfoys know him, I think," the younger boy's brow furrowed as he struggled to recall. "I believe Lucius' father spoke of him when they came to dinner a couple of weeks ago."

_Timing's right_, Sirius thought to himself. He closed his eyes for a moment. If the Blacks and Malfoys have convinced O'Hanlon to join the team, they _could_ have been behind the visit to Alphard's place.

"At least he's safe here," Sirius wasn't aware that he'd spoken aloud until his brother responded.

"Perhaps. I don't know who's watching him; I only know that someone _is_ – or _was_. It may be over now that Dumbledore's brought him here." The boy stopped and considered what he wanted to say to his brother. "Listen, I told you that Mother was in a strop about you connecting with him. Combine that with all that she's heard about your summer activities and the fact that Dumbledore has brought Uncle Alphard here as a member of staff for the year and her anger has hardly abated."

"I can't imagine why she'd bother with me, Reg," Sirius said. "Dear Mum's run me off, hasn't she? Said I wasn't a Black. Doesn't seem too likely either of them would give a rap about anything _I'd_ do."

"Sirius, you don't understand. Mother is not someone who enjoys losing to or being embarrassed by _anyone_, much less her own children – and you've bested her. Cissy and Bella have been spending time with her and Lucius visits as well - with the girls and with his father. It wouldn't surprise me if Mother had them watching you as well as Uncle Alphard," Regulus clarified. "Sirius, you've done _exactly_ what she never expected or believed that you would do. _You've gotten away_."

The exhilaration that typically filled Sirius when he realized he'd escaped his family did not come. Instead, an odd anxiety settled over him and he recognized it as the sensation he'd always carried with him until he finally had broken away. "They can't touch us here," Sirius said. "Neither of us."

For awhile, there was no sound apart from the crackle of the fire in the large hearth before them, each brother lost in his own thoughts.

"You didn't answer me before," Regulus' quiet voice broke the silence. "_Will_ you go and live with Uncle Alphard during holidays?"

_Was that a trace of envy I heard?_ Sirius couldn't be sure but decided to respond as if he was correct. "What if I did?" he asked. "Would you come with me?"

For a moment the younger wizard's expression waivered, then…

"You know that's impossible," he replied.

"Nothing's impossible when you make up your mind."

"I would say that it's rather been made up for me."

Whatever Sirius might have said in response was lost at the sound of the office door clicking open.

"I apologize for the interruption, gentlemen," Dumbledore said kindly. "Alas, curfew is almost upon us and a loss of House points is a poor way to begin the new term, yes?"

"There will be other opportunities for you to spend time together," Alphard chimed in, coming through the doorway to stand next to the other wizard. "We can see to that, if you like."

Sirius looked at Regulus out of the corner of his eye, but the boy said nothing.

"Come, Mr. Black," Dumbledore beckoned to Regulus after a moment. "I shall accompany you to your common room. I suspect that I might be able to intercede on your behalf should we encounter any of our new prefects. Professor," he nodded at Alphard, followed by the barest glance toward Sirius. "Sirius, good night to you both."

"Good night, Professor," Sirius said. "See you, Reg."

Regulus gave his brother a faint smile. "'night, Sirius."

"Are you going to accompany me to _my _common room, Uncle?" Sirius' voice was light enough, but his expression was tense. As the door closed behind his brother, Sirius thought of all that he wished he'd asked, wished he'd told his brother.

"If you like," came the response. "Your conversation didn't go well?" Alphard followed his great-nephew's gaze, noting the set of his jaw.

"I wish I'd had more time with him," Sirius turned to face the older wizard. "He thinks you're being watched here; he thinks there's a chance that I am, as well."

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Your mother didn't take well to your defection, a fact which shouldn't surprise _you_," Alphard motioned to the couch. "Let's sit for a moment. I have something I want to tell you."

"Your mother has been in contact with the Headmaster," Albus began. "She wants to meet with him and Albus has agreed."

Sirius felt his heart quicken. "Why?"

"I'm not certain; she has only stated that she wants to discuss something of concern to her." Alphard paused. When Sirius said nothing, he went on. "There has been no mention of you joining them, son."

"Them?"

"Albus has stipulated that your father accompany her."

"Regulus told me that Father doesn't leave her alone with him; Narcissa and Bellatrix come to stay with her when Regulus is at Grimmauld and Father has an appointment that he cannot miss. I can't imagine he'd let her out of the house alone – particularly if she was coming here." Sirius thought of all that Regulus had told him about Walburga's behavior in the hospital and his suspicions that his Slytherin cousins – and their friends – could be spying on them for her. The fact that O'Hanlon's name had come up in conversation reminded him exactly how far-reaching this new Darkness had become. He made up his mind.

"I want to be there when they come to meet with Dumbledore."


	68. Dark History & Dark Creatures

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Warning: ** Some language

Chapter 68 – Dark History and Dark Creatures

The students settled into the routine of a new school term and the familiar rhythm of classes, homework and time with friends well missed over the holiday.

The addition of Alphard Black as the new DADA professor was well received by all Houses save one – Slytherin. Their reaction was predictable; defending against something embraced by so many prominent Pureblood families represented in that House was bound to create conflict. The current climate – with its rumblings of a new and powerful Dark Wizard – had clearly given a new swagger to certain of Slytherin's members. That said, however, students of all Houses had to admit – however grudgingly, in some cases – that Professor Black was an experienced and effective teacher. His family history gave him historical perspective of the wrong side of the Dark Arts; his side-by-side battles with Dumbledore against Grindlewald gave him practical experience. Some students found his war-time experience exhilarating and, as a result, there was a growing tendency to romanticize battle lore.

Alphard had begun his first class – with Gryffindor and Slytherin 6th years – by offering a short synopsis of his background. As he moved quickly through his experiences with the defeat of Grindlewald, it became apparent that some of his students wanted more detail.

"It's well known that Grindlewald gathered the vampires over to his side," Rabastan LeStrange's laconic drawl interrupted Alphard's narrative. "Are they included in the Dark Creatures you claim to have fought in that war?"

Alphard continued to smile benignly at the class. "There were many rumors about Grindlewald – and his supposed _army_ – in those days. While he almost certainly convinced many nefarious characters to join him, I don't know that there was ever an exact accounting of them." Alphard turned away from LeStrange and made to walk back to the lectern at the front of the classroom. The Slytherin wizard would not be deterred, however.

"But the history books list Dark Creatures enlisted by Grindlewald," he persisted, keeping his eyes glued to Alphard's back. "You can't refute that fact. What _I _want to hear about is how you and Dumbledore managed to deal with them; or perhaps your role in the last great war wasn't as _large_ as you'd have us believe. Maybe Dumbledore was desperate to fill this position and he had to settle…"

Seated across the aisle with his friends, Sirius began to seethe. The prickle of annoyance that had begun with LeStrange's first inhalation had blossomed. Sirius shifted in his seat, turning his head to glare over at his Slytherin counterparts. He found himself looking into the steel blue eyes of Lucius Malfoy who arched one eyebrow as if daring him to rise to the other wizard's bait. There was a sudden light pressure on his arm and Sirius tore his gaze away from Malfoy and found himself looking into a pair of chocolate brown eyes.

"Don't," Kate whispered, giving his arm a light squeeze. "He's not worth it."

Sirius nodded shortly and returned his gaze to his Uncle.

"_Git_", he heard James mutter behind him and was gratified to recognize his own irritation mirrored in his friend's tone. Sirius relaxed his shoulders and exhaled slowly.

"Better?" came Kate's whispered voice.

Sirius covered her hand where it still rested on his arm.

"Mr. … LeStrange, isn't it?" Alphard had turned and was walking slowly down the aisle, stopping in front of Rabastan's desk. The haughty wizard nodded once.

"I suspect that _Headmaster _Dumbledore engaged me in this position because he believes me to be a good educator. In my _professional _opinion, I believe there is a distinct difference between 'history books' and the rather sensationalized accounts of events written by those who were not present when those events occurred. Indeed, some of these rather embellished versions have come down through families as an oral history, of sorts. That may explain your confusion in these matters." Rabastan had been balancing on the back legs of his chair but as Alphard finished speaking he leaned forward sharply, the front of the chair hitting the stone floor with a loud_ bang_. The angry wizard took a breath to speak, but Alphard was too quick for him.

"Take care, Mr. LeStrange," the older wizard intoned. "Grave injury can occur when we take foolish risks without regard for the consequences." LeStrange opened – then closed – his mouth, but said nothing.

"_True_ history books detail truth and when it comes to Dark Magic _and _Dark Wizards, the truth requires no embellishment; it is compelling in its simplicity. It is also an excellent teacher." Alphard paused and his eyes swept over the faces before him. "It does not matter which, if any, Dark Creatures might have been in league with Grindlewald. What _does_ matter is that Grindlewald was willing and _able_ to recruit _any_ of them." The older wizard closed his eyes briefly, considering carefully what he wanted to say. When he next began to speak, his voice was like steel, albeit very quiet.

"Those who embrace the practice of Dark Arts – or Dark Magic – for _dark _purposes and for _power_ present unimaginable risk to our world. These Dark Wizards have spurred periodic uprisings throughout the ages. They start small: planting seeds of discourse _here_, amongst those who already feel downtrodden; promising a uniform return to old traditions _there_ to the oldest families who fear that we've strayed too far from them. Slowly, subtly, these Dark Wizards convince more and more people that they have the perfect vision of _the_ perfect world and that they – and _only_ they – could possibly lead that new world. Lured by lies and seduced by false promises, these followers gather _more_ followers and soon they become an army. But this army is comprised of individuals who are easily led, whose insecurities, doubts and vanities have blinded them to reality. The reality is that one Dark Wizard, lusting for power and control, will these supporters to help destroy our world – and to create one where their lots will not improve – if they even live to see it."

The classroom was silent. Hostility rolled off the Slytherin students in waves. Their Gryffindor counterparts – especially the Marauders, who had been exposed to so much information over the holiday – recognized the hidden meaning behind Alphard's words and their respect for him grew.

"The lesson that history teaches us is that we must recognize – and _stop_ – any potential Grindlewald in our world _before_ they become threats – and we must do so absolutely and without regard for cost. To fail is to lose everything."

"How are _we_ to do that, Sir?" Frank Longbottom spoke up. "We're only students."

Alphard smiled. "An excellent question, Mr. Longbottom! As students, you have an enormous potential to stop these monsters." There was an indignant sound from the other side of the room. "That's right, _I said 'monsters'_. Do not mistreat any of your peers. Respect each other and give no one reason to seek empty promises of power from unscrupulous wizards who act _only_ on their own behalf, with no regard for any of you. Take responsibility for our world into your own capable hands. Protect it. Defend it." Alphard paused, again looking around at every face in the room before finishing, "And _that_, ladies and gentlemen, begins right here – in this classroom."

The silence of the class was broken by the buzz of voices as students flooded the hallways, classes finished for the day.

"Before we adjourn," Alphard raised his voice to gain the attention of his class, many of whom were gathering textbooks and parchment to load into book bags. They looked up expectantly. "Before we adjourn, I would like each of you to prepare an essay on Grindlewald's rise to power – and opportunities that were missed to thwart that rise. Two feet of parchment should do it, I think. I will look forward to seeing you all again on Friday afternoon when I shall collect them from you. I wish you all a good evening; off you go!"

The Slytherins wasted no time in beating a hasty retreat from the classroom.

Sirius' irritation was barely contained as he packed book, parchment and quill into his bag. "Wankers – the whole lot of them," he fumed, tugging the zipper of his bag with enough force to dislodge it from its tracks. "That _bastard_ LeStrange; he should take care Uncle Alphard doesn't decide to _show_ him how he and Dumbledore took care of Grindlewald…and anyone else who might have fought on his side!"

"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus said as he put his own book bag down on the desk. "Here, let me see that." The Marauder gently extricated Sirius' bag from the other boy's grip. Taking his wand from his pocket, Remus touched the now mangled zipper and said, "_Reparo_." Immediately, the metal teeth realigned themselves within the pull; Remus grinned as he tested his handiwork and handed the bag back to Sirius. "There. Please try not to undo my good work, wont' you?"

"Show off," Sirius replied, but his voice bore less of its previous irritation.

"I think your uncle handled the situation rather well," James put in. "I believe the snakes got the point, don't you?"

"There's no point in antagonizing them, James," Peter spoke up. "It's not like it's going to change anything."

James raised his eyebrows at his friend. "_Antagonizing them? Antagoniz-_ Peter, what are you on about? Did you nod off during class? Because, in case you missed it, Rabastan LeStrange was the one doing the '_antagonizing_'."

"I'm just saying that it's not like LeStrange said anything all that peculiar given what your uncle had said," Peter looked around at the group. "Your uncle was talking about the war against Grindlewald. Rabastan asked a question about the types of dark creatures that fought with him. This is a Defense Against the Dark Arts class, James. From where I sat, it seemed a logical question to ask."

"And was suggesting Dumbledore had no better candidate to _teach _this class and was forced to hire _my uncle_ a logical thing to say – from where _you _sat?" Sirius shrugged his bag from his shoulder, letting it drop to the desk he had so recently vacated. Blue eyes glittering with anger, he took a half-step toward the other boy.

Peter backed up until a desk in the next row impeded further retreat. There was apprehension in his tone, but Peter thrust out his chin when he spoke. "_No_, as a matter of fact, I _didn't _particularly think your uncle deserved that comment – any more than I think _I _deserve _yours_." The smaller boy's voice got a bit smaller as he finished, but he held his ground where he stood.

The group stood gaping at their friend for a moment before Remus cleared his throat and moved over to where Peter was standing. "You're absolutely right, Pete," he said, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "There's nothing to be gained from us leaping at each other's throats. After all, it seems that everything that's going wrong in our world at the moment is happening because people aren't even trying to reason with each other. Sirius is understandably upset because he feels that his uncle was treated disrespectfully; you felt the exchange was a natural one, given the topic. Perhaps LeStrange's tone could have been different and perhaps the professor could have avoided using certain words that would be bound to set the Slytherins off."

"Moony-," Sirius' voice carried a hint of warning.

Remus shook his head, a sad smile flitting across his face as he did so. "Sorry, Sirius, but I have a bit of experience with the word "monster" and I can say with certainty that it _will_ rile people up." He leaned back to look at Peter's face, which was slightly less defiant than it had been a few moments before. "Alright, Peter?"

Peter looked at the young werewolf and nodded slowly before bringing his attention back to Sirius. The other wizard met his gaze. Neither spoke for what felt like an eternity. Finally, just before Remus thought he would need to step in again, Sirius broke the silence.

"Look, Peter, Alphard Black and my brother, Regulus, are the only blood family I have. You know what's going on outside these walls right now; Merlin knows we've spent enough time talking about it over the past week. Most of those who are fanatics about the Dark – and are probably trailing after this new Dark Wizard that's rumored to be out there – are housed in Slytherin. James, Remus and I saw enough of _their _antics while we were in Brighton. Don't expect me to take it lightly when one of them goes up against me or mine. For the record, "mine" also includes my friends – _all _of you. You're all I have; I aim to do whatever I need to do to make sure I don't lose anyone." He paused and inhaled deeply. When Sirius spoke again, a trace of a smile graced his features. "Sometimes, I guess that will make me …"

"Over react?" Kate supplied, slipping her hand into his to soften her comment.

Sirius squeezed her fingers gently. "Yes; I suppose 'over react' is the right description."

Peter stepped forward, causing Remus' hand to drop from his shoulder. "We had enough trouble between Gryffindor and Slytherin last term. Aren't we supposed to at least try not to cause any more of it? Isn't that what Dumbledore had in mind?"

Kate smiled. "Good for you, Peter; very sensible. And as far as the questions asked in class, I happen to agree with you: defeating vampires seems to me to be a valid topic for this particular class."

Sirius stiffened a bit next to her, but Kate went on. "I also think that LeStrange was unnecessarily snide in his comments, but that's rather to be expected from him based on previous experience. I think that we _all _should focus on not looking for trouble – and just well, carry on, I suppose. It's difficult to fight if you've no one to fight _with_, after all."

Peter had gone quite red as Kate spoke and he fidgeted slightly where he stood.

Sirius sighed. "I hate it when you're right. If things keep on as they are now, I suppose we'll all have more trouble than we ever wanted. As long as we stick together, it should be alright." He walked up to Peter and stuck out his hand. "Ok, Wormtail?"

There was only the slightest of hesitations before Peter clasped Sirius' hand and, finally, his features relaxed. "Ok, Padfoot," he replied, smiling.

"Good," Lily said. "Now that we've finally got _that _nonsense sorted, why don't we start on that essay?"

A chorus of groans greeted her comment and James grabbed the redhead's elbow and propelled her forward, toward the door. "We've got an hour off before dinner and then there will be the whole evening to take care of homework. Besides, this essay isn't due until Friday – and that's _days _away! Come on - the sun's shining and _I_ say that we head out onto the grounds and enjoy the weather while it's still warm. Who's with me?…besides Lils, of course!"

The group agreed wholeheartedly with James' proclamation and although Lily insisted that they all bring their books out with them, she was forced to admit that as the cold weather would arrive before they knew it, they should take advantage of the warmth while they could. They exited the classroom with James and Lily leading the way and the others falling in behind them.

Once outside, Peter engaged Lily in conversation about a potion assignment Professor Slughorn had given them earlier that afternoon. Remus found himself watching the boy, unable to shake the feeling of disquiet that had settled over him after the disagreement between his two friends. Thoughtful and analytical by nature, it troubled Remus that he could not identify the exact cause of that disquiet. As the group settled themselves on the grass that sloped down toward the Black Lake, Sirius dropped down beside the werewolf.

"What's got you looking so ponderous?" The dark haired wizard chuckled when Remus jumped slightly at the sound of his friend's voice.

Remus considered whether or not he should mention his concern but was spared the decision when Sirius spoke again. "Something to do with Peter, isn't it?"

"Why do you say that?" Remus' eyes widened in surprise.

"You've been staring a hole through his back since we left the classroom," came the reply.

Remus huffed out a laugh. "Hmm; that obvious, eh?" At Sirius' nod, he continued. "It isn't much like Peter to disagree with anything you or James has to say, is it?"

Sirius looked over the rest of their group, sitting a bit closer to the water's edge. His gaze settling on Peter, the young wizard watched him for a few minutes before answering. "Not out loud, at any rate. Yeah, I reckon it _is _a bit unlike him. He generally just shuts up and goes along with us, doesn't he?"

Remus nodded. "Can't quite figure out why it's bothering me."

Sirius looked over at his friend. "Dunno. Maybe after being cooped up with his mum all summer and not being able to come with us, Peter found his voice."

"Maybe."

Sirius leaned over and slapped Remus on the leg. "Come on, mate! We didn't risk the wrath of Lily to sit outside and wonder at the many odd behaviors of one Peter Pettigrew, _did_ we?" He rose to his feet then extended a hand to help Remus do the same. "Let's join the others. You're just about the only person who can rein Lily in if she starts lecturing us about how little time we truly have until NEWTs are held!"

Remus relented. "All _right_, Pads!" He took the hand before him and allowed Sirius to pull him to his feet. "If you put it that way…"

As they walked the short distance to the edge of the lake, Sirius thought of what he'd originally come to ask his friend.

"Where's Dorcas? She wasn't in class today, was she?"

Remus chuckled. "Apparently, she was the inadvertent recipient of a spell cast by a very inexpert second year."

Sirius stopped short. "What was Dorcas doing with a bunch of second years?"

"She's a Prefect, isn't she? Last night, she came upon two second year Hufflepuffs, just outside their common room."

"Forgot their password, had they?" Sirius chortled.

"Do you want to hear or not?" Remus asked, rolling his eyes at his friend's subsequently wide-eyed and innocent expression. "Apparently, one was showing the other what he _thought_ was the grooming spell to trim hair."

"But it wasn't?"

Remus closed his eyes and shook his head.

"What happened? Lose her hair?" Sirius began to snicker.

"Not at all," Remus said, voice quivering with ill-suppressed mirth. "She has a lovely set of whiskers to match!"

The two wizards dissolved in laughter, hanging onto each other to remain upright. Other small groups of students nearby raised their heads at the clamor but, seeing who was involved, they went back to their own conversations. Finally, the two friends recovered themselves sufficiently to speak.

"How long before they're gone?" Sirius wanted to know, wiping his eyes on his robes as he waited for his friend to answer.

"She'll be fine by dinner," Remus answered. "The boy couldn't quite remember what he'd said, so Madam Pomfrey decided to use a potion to put her right instead of experimenting using what he _thought_ he might have cast."

"Thank _Merlin_!" Sirius said as the two resumed their walk. "You two would have caused quite a stir in Hogsmeade next month if it hadn't been simple to fix!" He barked out a laugh. "I mean, how embarrassing for you if your _girlfriend _managed to grow a moustache before _you _did!"

Remus sobered and he said nothing.

"What?" Sirius demanded. "You're not _that _sensitive, are you? I mean, it was two years ago that you tried it, after all. You couldn't help it that you only managed a couple of dozen whiskers…" He paused, realizing that Remus had remained silent. "Oh, Moony – _don't_ tell me that we're still debating _that_ old chestnut." He lowered his voice. "For an intelligent wizard, you've certainly got this one wrong, mate!"

Remus' face assumed the closed expression Sirius hated. "There's nothing to debate, Sirius. We've had this conversation before; I don't want to have it again. Here," he gestured to the others, who were watching them curiously. "Let's drop it. It's a pointless discussion."

Sirius laid a hand on his friend's arm. "I'll 'drop it' for now, Moony – but not forever. She's a nice girl – bright, funny, with your love of books and deep discussions; she's perfect for you. Why don't we do this? I'll agree to stop calling her your girlfriend if you'll agree to just let things go along with her for now. After all, it's not like you're planning the rest of your life, are you? Just … just _be_ for now. Go along together like always. Let the future go for now. All right?"

Remus knew that this particular matter was far from being "all right", as Sirius said. He also knew that Sirius would have none of Remus' argument against _ever_ having the kind of relationships both he and James had found. The young werewolf thought back to the events in their last class and the conversations that had followed. _There will be enough trouble for _all _of us soon enough; we'll all face difficult decisions that we don't want to make. Maybe it _did _make sense not to waste time on those decisions today. _He tried to shrug off the small voice nattering at him in the back of his mind, telling him that he was just prolonging the inevitable. Remus looked back at Sirius and smiled.

"For now."

Dorcas was fully recovered and, as previously predicted, joined them all at dinner that evening. As her fellow Gryffindors had long since discovered, the reserved young witch had a wicked sense of humor and was able to laugh along with her friends as they teased her about her "temporary affliction".

"Thank heavens it _was_ temporary," she chuckled as they tucked into chocolate silk pudding. "I've no desire to resemble my great aunt Mildred _that _closely!"

Peter blinked at her. "Your aunt has whiskers?"

Dorcas laughed. "Well, in a manner of speaking. When she got a bit along in years, they sort of …_arrived_. Poor thing! Quite alarming, I should imagine. She used all sorts of creams and such, but they just kept coming back."

"Why didn't she just _magick_ them off?" Peter wanted to know.

"Oh, well, she couldn't, you see," Dorcas explained. "She was a Muggle." She winked at the open-mouthed expression on Peter's face. "I'm sure she would have enjoyed knowing Madam Pomfrey; it would have saved her a _lot _of money, I can tell you!"

The others chuckled and all soon returned to their pudding.

"I understand that your uncle is the new DADA teacher, Sirius," Dorcas said, resting her spoon in her now empty cup and gratefully accepting a cup of coffee from Remus.

"Great uncle, actually, but yes, you've got the rest of it right," Sirius answered, watching Remus with a small smile. _You've got it bad, Moony; best to just accept it and move forward. _

"I overheard some of the girls chatting about him in the common room earlier. It sounds as if he's got lots of practical experience. It should be a good class," she said.

"Alright, you lot; we've home work to finish. I'm off," Lily stood, looking expectantly over the group still seated at the table. "Well?"

Sirius leaned over toward James. "I believe that's to you, mate. Best be running along before things turn ugly." He laughed aloud at the swat James sent to his shoulder as the latter rose and made his way round the end of the table to where Lily stood.

"You needn't look so amused," Kate admonished him, tugging on the sleeve of his robes. "You've got all the same assignments that we do and I don't believe you've done a lick of work since classes ended."

Sirius sighed as James whooped a laugh. "Better hurry, Pads…..before things turn _ugly_!"

The quartet made their way toward the doors, the sound of the boys' half-hearted protests growing fainter with their progress. It wasn't long before Peter mumbled an excuse about needing to speak with someone about an assignment, leaving Remus and Dorcas alone at their end of the Gryffindor dining table.

"I would say that this was quite an eventful first day of term, wouldn't you?" Dorcas asked, smiling at the wizard next to her.

"Indeed," he agreed, smiling in return.

"Any truth to the rumor of a bit of an incident in the DADA class this afternoon?"

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Prefect informants?"

Dorcas' merry laughter rang out. "Remus, the Prefects _are _informants!" She reached over and patted his hand. "No, actually; Lily told me when she came to the hospital wing to check on me before dinner. Quite the impromptu lecture Professor Black gave, wasn't it?"

Remus nodded. "Rather a fair warning of history repeating itself, I'd say."

"Is that why Professor Dumbledore brought Sirius' uncle here to teach? His war experiences would give him a unique insight into teaching Defense?"

"I expect that's at least part of the reason," Remus replied. He glanced around the Great Hall, making note of the fact that most of the 6th year Slytherins had their heads together at their own table. He leaned toward Dorcas. "Listen, where do you stand with your assignments?"

"I won't get them until tomorrow because of the…" she smiled and gestured toward her face. "Madam Pomfrey had me excused from patrol tonight – just in case there was some unforeseen delay in my recovery. Why?"

Remus hesitated for just a moment. He had made the decision to do this over the summer and was firm in his resolve to see it through. Despite his conviction that he was doing the right thing, he felt a combination of sadness at the outcome and guilt that he was knowingly manipulating it. Pushing that - and the memory of his conversation with Sirius – to the back of his mind, Remus forced a smile. "I have something I wanted to talk with you about."

As they entered into the Room of Requirement, Remus found himself thinking of the many hours he had spent within these walls. _Well_, he thought, _not exactly _these_ walls, I suppose._ As comfortably appointed as the room had previously presented itself, tonight's appearance was, by contrast, sparse. The large fireplace on one side of the room blazed brightly and Remus realized that the room had recognized and prepared for the deep chill that had settled over him. Two chairs were placed directly before the fire, facing one another. Between them, and to one side, stood a plain wooden table on which rested a pitcher of water and two goblets. The room was otherwise empty.

Dorcas shivered a bit and Remus guided her over to the fire. Immediately feeling the warmth that emanated from the hearth, the young witch gestured toward the seating area. "It would appear that we're meant to sit down," she observed with a shaky smile. "Although I'll admit that I'm a bit apprehensive of doing so."

Remus shook his head lightly and gestured to the nearer of the two chairs. "Please," he said simply then walked round the small table and sat in the second.

"Dorcas, you know that I like you very much," Remus began, hands lacing and unlacing in his lap as he leaned toward her.

"Oh, Remus," Dorcas' soft voice betrayed her sadness. "You've brought me here to … break up with me?"

Remus closed his eyes to gather his thoughts. A whispered, "_Wingardium Leviosa_," made him open them to see Dorcas' chair settling quite close to his. As she resumed her seat, Remus could see that the sadness in her voice was replicated in her eyes.

"It's not you," he began then stopped himself. "Well, it _is_ you, actually. I don't want anything to happen to you; don't want to put you in any danger. I can't guarantee your safety if we … well, let's just leave it at that."

Dorcas shook her head. "Let's not." She leaned forward and stilled his hands. "I've been waiting for this, you see. I thought you'd have broken things off quite some time ago and when it didn't come, I thought that perhaps you'd changed your mind. I should have realized that you never would. I should have realized that we would need to have this conversation." She continued to hold his hands and her eyes never broke contact with his. "I am not afraid of you. I could _never_ be afraid of you, Remus."

Remus sat as if frozen to the spot. "I don't know what you …"

"Yes, you do," she said quietly. "Obviously, you're going to make me say it – and that's fine. I'm not afraid of the words, either."

_Stop speaking. Stop speaking. STOP. SPEAKING._ The words crashed through Remus' head as he stared at the girl sitting opposite him, the girl holding his hands in such a gentle grasp, the girl looking at him with such honesty that he could barely stand it. But he knew that he could no more stop the words that were coming from her lips than he could silence his own thoughts. He closed his eyes again.

"I know about the wolf."

Five words – words he had been terrified he would hear throughout his childhood. Five words that, until last year, had heralded the ending of friendships, relationships. Five words uttered so simply, but which raised such complex questions.

The feeling of something wet on his hand made Remus open his eyes. Dorcas had poured him a cup of water and was pressing it into his fingers. "Here," she said in that impossibly calm way she had. "Drink this and then we can talk."

Remus wasn't certain how he did so, but he managed to drain the goblet without spilling its contents down the front of himself. He leaned over and placed it on the table.

"How?"

"My cousin was bitten seven years ago – in Wales," Dorcas explained. "He's my favorite cousin – my mother's only brother's child. We are the same age and have always been close. We lived very near each other and played together as children. When we were 10, my uncle and aunt came to our house and said they were leaving. They had purchased a farm in a very remote section of Queensland and were moving straight away. Of course, I was devastated to lose my best friend; I had a bit of a melt down when my parents told me. When I asked them why, my mother said that Joshua had been bitten by a wild animal and it had made him very ill. He was going away so no one else could 'catch it'. I remember asking if the Healers would make him well while he was gone, so that he could return to our village. My mother started to cry and my father pulled me into his lap and said that they couldn't make Josh well." Dorcas had started to cry very softly, but accepted Remus' handkerchief with a rather watery smile. When she had composed herself a bit, she took up her story again.

"Josh and I wrote letters back and forth to each other, but I missed him very much. My parents spoke with my uncle and they agreed that I could come and visit them the summer that I received my Hogwarts letter. My father couldn't take time from work to accompany us and my mother didn't want to leave him to fend for himself, so I traveled alone. So exciting at 11, you know; I felt so important and grown-up. When I arrived, I was shocked to see how far away from everyone Josh and his family had moved. I know," she saw the look of sadness cross Remus' face. "You understand completely. Oddly, so did I. I think I always suspected what kind of 'animal' had bitten him. He looked the same to me – perhaps a bit thinner." For the first time Dorcas was self-conscious. "I've never seen his scars, but he told me that he had them – told me what the wolf could do; what it had done." She took a moment to collect herself. "After that conversation, things went right back to the way they had always been. When the moon turned full, I was, of course, not allowed to stay with him. I knew what was going to happen based on what Josh had told me. I saw him tire in the days leading up to the full; I saw his temper become shorter, the circles around his eyes grow dark and more pronounced. I sat up in my room, watching the moon – all night long – as it traveled across the sky. I hated it; hated its power and what it had done to the boy I loved so much. In the morning, my aunt tended to him but said I couldn't see him until the next day." She looked up at Remus and smiled dryly. "You can imagine how well I took that particular piece of news. I snuck right into his room, I did! I waited what I thought was a decent interval – then just before dinner, I went to visit. Josh thought I would be afraid of him, but I wasn't – I'm not. I stayed for the whole summer – and I've gone back every summer since. I'm not afraid of Josh," Dorcas said again. "Any more than I'm afraid of you – or _your_ wolf. You may both be technically defined as Dark Creatures, but I've never met people who are less so than you." Dorcas stopped again, reaching for the pitcher to relieve her dry throat. Remus was too quick for her and soon was handing her a goblet of icy water as she had done for him.

She drained the cup and handed it back to Remus with a smile. "Thank you. Remus, I have recognized the same signs in you – and the same cycle – two years ago. I never said anything to you because it was none of my business. It's no one else's business, either – and I neither have nor would tell anyone else about this. I have grown to care for you and thought that you felt the same way about me. All I could hope for was that you'd trust me enough to tell me yourself one day. And now, you have…and I'm very afraid that if I stop talking, you're going to say something that I really do not want to hear." The need to breathe, however, was too great and Dorcas was forced to stop speaking.

As she had spoken, Remus had remained quiet, every ounce of his focus on the young woman before him. While stunned by the story she had told him, Remus knew that every word of it was true; it was not in Dorcas' nature to lie – that he knew. That the story was remarkable was an understatement. His initial panic when she confessed that she'd realized the truth of his condition two years ago was mitigated by the reason she had done so. He felt his anxiety lessen as he realized that his condition was not completely transparent to all. His symptoms were recognizable to her only because she was very much familiar with them. Remus' relief was short lived. While his fear that Dorcas would be repulsed by his curse was no longer valid, the fact that he posed a danger to her remained. How could their relationship continue, despite how much he wanted it to, if he could ultimately cause her such horrific harm?

"Say something," Dorcas was saying, and Remus was brought back to the present.

"I don't know what _to _say," he admitted. "I never expected to hear that you – that your cousin …"

"That I already had a wolf in my life?" Dorcas smiled when Remus' lips twitched in an attempt not to laugh. "What are you thinking?"

Remus shook his head. "I'm dangerous," he said. "I could hurt you."

"No more than the other students in the school. While I don't know the particulars, I can't imagine that Dumbledore hasn't made arrangements to protect you as well as those of us who live here," Dorcas reasoned.

"He has. But…"

"Remus, listen to me," Dorcas leaned forward, hands clasped in front of her. "We're in school and you've said yourself that Dumbledore has made arrangements that allow you to safely _stay_ in school. No one has been hurt – or turned – since you came here. You pose no more danger to me than you do to anyone else."

Remus bowed his head, allowing the events of the previous term to flood his mind. _Someone _has _been hurt_, he thought. _I _do _pose a danger to everyone in this school._ But as quickly as those thoughts crossed his mind, they left. He had transformed on the school grounds since the incident with Severus Snape and it was uneventful. No further incidents had occurred. Dorcas knew nothing of the Marauders' Animagus abilities and certainly nothing of the situation that had occurred last term. A new thought occurred to him and he was pleased – but unsurprised - to hear Dorcas give voice to it before he could draw breath.

"Remus, we're not talking about what happens after we graduate; we're talking about continuing on as we've been while we're here. I do care about you – very much. We go well together – or at least I think that we do. If you don't want to go on, let it be because you don't care for the way I fix my hair, or because you think I'm too forward or not smart enough for you. I can live with any of those things, but not if you break off with me because of something this important. I've seen lycanthropy in one person I care for and I've asked my questions and come to the conclusion that the person is more important than any fears I might have had – logical or illogical." She reached out and Remus took her hands in his once more. "You've said it yourself: there's so much Dark in the world, we need to stick together if we've a hope of conquering it. Shouldn't we start here – here in our own corner of things? I've conquered my fear; why can't you conquer _yours_?"

Remus' vision blurred as he listened to Dorcas' argument: so logical yet so moving. He blinked several times then rose, tugging her to her feet with him.

"It's not that simple," he whispered. "I've had these fears for most of my life. I can't let them go because if I do, something could go wrong. The consequences would be too terrible to contemplate."

"Well, then; perhaps you don't conquer them all at once. For now, let's work on the ones that involve us – here – and maybe the others will have worked themselves out once we get to them," she whispered back.

For a moment, they just stood there; neither student spoke or moved. Slowly, Remus drew Dorcas to him, feeling her arms reach up to encircle his neck as his went round her waist. He kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek against the brown curls.

"For now," he said quietly, smiling.

Up in Gryffindor tower, James and Sirius were ensconced in their favorite spots, Lily and Kate curled up with them. Homework assignments for the following day were complete and filed away in book bags. Peter had returned to the common room about an hour after the others had settled in, confirming to Kate that he had gotten the information he needed about his assignment. After working beside the others for awhile, he packed up his book bag and ran out to send an owl, which he had claimed was to his mother, but which James privately suspected was intended for the young woman Peter had taken up with during the summer. He said as much to Sirius, who grinned wickedly and wondered aloud at the possibility of finding out more about "the lucky young witch". At this, both Kate and Lily loudly objected, telling both young wizards to leave the boy alone. He would tell them about the girl when and if he decided to do so – and without help or prodding from either of _them. _ With much winking over the tops of the girls' heads, James and Sirius assured their respective girlfriends that they would abide by their wishes and leave that poor boy alone.

"Wonder if we'll get to meet the girl," James mused. "You know, get a look at the one who finally caught Peter's eye."

Sirius huffed out a laugh. "See the girl _Peter_ finally caught, more like ... _ouch!_"

"Don't be mean," Kate said, dropping a kiss onto the dark head. "Or next time, I'll _really _give your hair a tug!" She sat up straight as she finished speaking and reached for her book bag. "I'm exhausted! Coming, Lils?"

The redhead reached up and lifted James' arm from her shoulder. Letting it drop behind her, Lily stood, deftly side-stepping James' attempt to pull her back down beside him.

"Right behind you, Kate," she said, smiling at the thwarted wizard. "See you in the morning, James."

"It's barely half nine," Sirius said, genuinely sorry to lose Kate's company, but anxious to share with James the details of his conversations with both Regulus and Alphard. By the time he'd returned to his common room, the girls had already gone up to bed and Remus was sound asleep in their own dormitory room. There had been no chance for him to talk with his friends this morning and classes had taken up the whole day.

The two girls moved toward the staircase and as she reached the bottom step, Kate turned and blew Sirius a kiss. "See you for breakfast."

"Where do you suppose Remus took himself?" Sirius asked James, stretching out on the full length of the sofa.

"Saw him leaving with Dorcas right after dinner," James replied, waggling his eyebrows up and down. "Sly dog."

Sirius rolled his eyes and was about to reply when the portrait opened and the topics of their conversation walked through.

"I'll see you in the morning, then," Dorcas said quietly then leaned up to place a small kiss on Remus' cheek.

"See you," Remus managed, blushing fiercely as from the corner of his eye, he detected a slight movement from the sofa.

Dorcas sensed his discomfort and with a sideline look at the sofa, confirmed the reason. She squeezed Remus' hand before releasing it with a smile. As she turned toward her own staircase, Dorcas waggled her fingers in the direction of the hearth then made her escape. Remus watched until she had disappeared from view.

"Alright," he said, turning toward his two friends. "You get one comment _each_ and then we let this drop!" Remus flopped into 'his' chair and closed his eyes, waiting for his friends to begin.

Sirius glanced over at James and grinned. "Shouldn't take either of us too long to say 'I told you so', should it, Prongs?"

"Said it for both of us, you have," came the smiling response.

Remus opened his eyes. "That's it?"

"For now," James said. "At the moment, I think we've got more important matters to discuss." He turned toward Sirius and the other boy nodded.

Remus sat forward in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him. "Regulus, of course; I was wondering when we'd have the chance to hear," he replied. He looked around the room. "What about Peter and the girls?"

"Peter's off somewhere pining for his new bird," Sirius rolled his eyes. "And I figured the three of us could talk a bit before we tell the girls."

Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Before…"

"There's quite a bit to cover," Sirius interrupted.

James settled back in his seat. "Let's hear it, then."

The fire had nearly burned itself out by the time the story had been told and the discussion finished. As the tired students made their way up the stairs to bed, each lost in his own thoughts, none of them remembered that the fourth Marauder had still not returned.


End file.
